Birds of North Carolina
their Distribution and Abundance
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
PASSERELLIDAE Members: Seaside Sparrow 514
General Comments
The Seaside Sparrow is an unusual sparrow, in that most individuals within its coastal range apparently do not migrate. However, individuals in the northernmost part of the range (southern New England and New York, and perhaps south to Cape Hatteras) migrate southward, and on rare occasions can occur inland (usually as tower-killed victims). There are a number of subspecies of Seaside Sparrow, but those in North Carolina are scarcely detectable from others. In North Carolina, it is found all year in coastal/tidal marshes, though there are some notable habitat shifts during the year. Because salt marshes have moderate to great tidal amplitudes, birds avoid nesting in such sites, instead breeding in brackish marshes, both along the coast and at least locally around the inner portions of Pamlico Sound and tidal creeks entering into it. From fall to spring, birds move to the richer salt marshes, though they also winter in brackish marshes. Apparently, some breeding sites, such as in certain black needlerush stands, are vacated in winter. There seems to be a decline in numbers in the state in recent years.
Breeding Status
Breeder
NC BRC List
Definitive
State Status
none
U.S. Status
Definitive
State Rank
S4B,S4N
Global Rank
G4
Coastal Plain
Permanent resident in coastal marshes, with some migratory and habitat movements. In summer, fairly common to common in brackish marshes (or irregularly flooded salt marshes) along the immediate coast (coastal islands and adjacent mainland edges of sounds); fairly common to locally common at some sites along the inner portions of Pamlico Sound, including up the Pamlico River to eastern Beaufort. At other seasons, fairly common to common in tidal marshes (more so in salt than in brackish) from Carteret southward, and fairly common northward. Winter status and abundance around the inner portion of Pamlico Sound unclear, but seemingly scarce. Inland, casual in fall; records only from TV-tower kills at a site near White Lake (Bladen) -- 2 on 19 Oct 1972 and 6 on 12 Oct 1982. Peak counts: 150, flying in front of a fire at Cedar Island (Carteret), 30 May 1983; 150, along NC 12 in Cedar Island NWR, 16 Apr 2017; 124 (most of which were juvenile birds), at this site, 9 Jul 2017.
Piedmont
Accidental; the only record is one seen at Falls Lake on 2 Sep 2007 (Chat 72:38).
Mountain
No records.
Finding Tips
The species is somewhat easily found at all seasons at Federal Point and near the Aquarium at Fort Fisher, or at Cedar Island NWR in late spring or summer, among many other places. However, it often takes a bit of squeaking or pishing noises to get the birds to rise up onto stalks or into bushes for visibility and identification, especially as Salt Marsh and Nelson's sparrows also occur with Seasides in the cooler months.