Lincoln's Sparrow
Lincoln's SparrowLincoln's SparrowLincoln's SparrowLincoln's Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Rocky Mountain National Park
1,778 Verified records at Rocky Mountain National Park
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

Lincoln's sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) is a small sparrow native to North America. It is a less common passerine bird that often stays hidden under thick ground cover, but can be distinguished by its sweet, wrenlike song. Lincoln's sparrow is one of three species in the genus Melospiza which also includes the song sparrow (M. melodia) and the swamp sparrow (M. georgiana). It lives in well-covered brushy habitats, often near water. This bird is poorly documented because of its secretive nature and breeding habits solely in boreal regions. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Lincoln's Sparrow sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 1,778 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Rocky Mountain National Park

Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

20–30% · Possible
Swamp Sparrow
LC

Swamp Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza georgiana

Insufficient data
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

60–70% · Likely
White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

30–40% · Possible
Chipping Sparrow
LC

Chipping Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella passerina

20–30% · Possible
Green-tailed Towhee
LC

Green-tailed Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo chlorurus

20–30% · Possible
Vesper Sparrow
LC

Vesper Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pooecetes gramineus

5–10% · With luck
Savannah Sparrow
LC Endemic

Savannah Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerculus sandwichensis

<5% · Rare
Spotted Towhee
LC Endemic

Spotted Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo maculatus

<5% · Rare
Fox Sparrow
LC

Fox Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerella iliaca

<5% · Rare
Brewer's Sparrow
LC

Brewer's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella breweri

<5% · Rare
Lark Sparrow
LC

Lark Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chondestes grammacus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
5–10
Apr
30–40
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
20–30
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
2 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
3 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
4 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
5 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
6 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
7 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
8 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
9 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
10 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
11 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
12 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
13 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
14 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
15 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
16 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
17 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
18 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
19 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
20 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
21 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
22 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
23 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
24 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
25 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
26 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
27 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
28 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
29 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
30 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
31 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
32 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
33 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
34 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
36 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
37 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
38 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
39 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
40 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
41 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
43 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
45 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
46 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
47 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
48 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
49 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
50 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
51 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
52 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
53 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lincoln's Sparrow in Rocky Mountain National Park?

About 25% of wildlife watchers report a Lincoln's Sparrow sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 1,778 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lincoln's Sparrow in Rocky Mountain National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Lincoln's Sparrow in Rocky Mountain National Park in our monthly data.

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