Basic Information
Common Name: Belding's Savannah Sparrow
Scientific Name: Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi
Species Code: PASSAN
Management Category: VF (species with limited distribution in the MSPA or needing specific vegetation characteristics requiring management)
Occurrence Map
Table of Occurrences
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Goals and Objectives

Goal: Maintain, enhance and restore salt marsh vegetation on Conserved Lands in the MSPA that supports or has the potential to support VF species (i.e., wandering skipper, Belding's savannah sparrow) and to incidentally benefit other MSP species (e.g., salt marsh bird's-beak, Ridgway's rail) so that the vegetation community has high ecological integrity, and these species are resilient to environmental stochasticity and threats such as climate change, and will be likely to persist over the long term (>100 years).

Regional NFO 2019 VF
MON-PRP-MONPL PASSAN-1

Management units: 1, 7

In 2019, develop a regional, long-term monitoring plan to integrate habitat assessment and threat evaluations into the Belding's savannah sparrow population monitoring conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Conserved Lands in the MSPA. Develop a sampling design and standardized protocol to assess habitat and threats at occupied, historically occupied and suitable unoccupied habitats for the sparrow. Design the habitat and threats assessment to inform regional salt marsh vegetation monitoring. The purpose of the plan is to use habitat and threat monitoring data to develop site specific management recommendations to maintain, enhance or restore Belding's savannah sparrow habitat.

Action Statement Action status Projects
PRP-1 Coordinate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, scientists and land managers to develop a habitat and threats assessment monitoring protocol to integrate into ongoing regional Belding's savannah sparrow population monitoring. On hold
PRP-2 Submit project metadata and Belding's Savannah Sparrow Habitat and Threat Assessment Monitoring Plan to the MSP Web Portal. On hold
Criteria Deadline year
Belding's Savannah Sparrow Habitat and Threat Assessment Monitoring Plan completed by 2019 2021
Threat Name Threat Code
Altered hydrologyALTHYD
Climate changeCLICHN
Human uses of the PreservesHUMUSE
Invasive plantsINVPLA
Urban developmentURBDEV
Code Obj. code Statement
PASSAN-2 MON-IMP-MONPL In 2020 or 2021, depending on timing of Belding's savannah sparrow population monitoring implemented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, conduct habitat and threats assessment as specified in the Belding's Savannah Sparrow Habitat and Threat and Assessment Monitoring Plan and in conjunction with sparrow population monitoring on Conserved Lands in the MSPA.
SALMAR-1 MON-PRP-MONPL In 2021, evaluate existing salt marsh monitoring programs for Conserved Lands in the MSPA to determine gaps in monitoring salt marsh vegetation to assess community composition, structure and ecological integrity, and to document threats and assess environmental conditions. If there are gaps in current monitoring, develop a long-term regional salt marsh vegetation monitoring plan. The plan should include a conceptual model, specific monitoring questions, the sampling frame within the MSPA, monitoring methods, a statistically valid sampling design, permanent sampling locations, timeline, and standardized protocols. Use models predicting future sea level rise under changing climate to help determine the sampling frame. Evaluate ecological integrity at monitoring sites by integrating other types of monitoring into the long-term sampling plots, such as abiotic element monitoring (e.g., tidal flow monitoring, automated weather stations and soil sensors, GIS-data layers), ecological integrity monitoring (e.g., plant and animal communities, ecological processes), MSP VF species monitoring, and threats monitoring (e.g., climate change, invasive plants).
Regional NFO 2020, 2021 VF
MON-IMP-MONPL PASSAN-2

Management units: 1, 7

In 2020 or 2021, depending on timing of Belding's savannah sparrow population monitoring implemented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, conduct habitat and threats assessment as specified in the Belding's Savannah Sparrow Habitat and Threat and Assessment Monitoring Plan and in conjunction with sparrow population monitoring on Conserved Lands in the MSPA.

Action Statement Action status Projects
IMP-1 Submit project metadata, datasets, analyses and monitoring report with management recommendations to the MSP Web Portal. waiting for precedent action
Criteria Deadline year
Belding's Savannah Sparrow Habitat and Threat Monitoring and Report completed by 2021 2021
Threat Name Threat Code
Altered hydrologyALTHYD
Climate changeCLICHN
Human uses of the PreservesHUMUSE
Invasive plantsINVPLA
Urban developmentURBDEV
Code Obj. code Statement
PASSAN-1 MON-PRP-MONPL In 2019, develop a regional, long-term monitoring plan to integrate habitat assessment and threat evaluations into the Belding's savannah sparrow population monitoring conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Conserved Lands in the MSPA. Develop a sampling design and standardized protocol to assess habitat and threats at occupied, historically occupied and suitable unoccupied habitats for the sparrow. Design the habitat and threats assessment to inform regional salt marsh vegetation monitoring. The purpose of the plan is to use habitat and threat monitoring data to develop site specific management recommendations to maintain, enhance or restore Belding's savannah sparrow habitat.
SALMAR-1 MON-PRP-MONPL In 2021, evaluate existing salt marsh monitoring programs for Conserved Lands in the MSPA to determine gaps in monitoring salt marsh vegetation to assess community composition, structure and ecological integrity, and to document threats and assess environmental conditions. If there are gaps in current monitoring, develop a long-term regional salt marsh vegetation monitoring plan. The plan should include a conceptual model, specific monitoring questions, the sampling frame within the MSPA, monitoring methods, a statistically valid sampling design, permanent sampling locations, timeline, and standardized protocols. Use models predicting future sea level rise under changing climate to help determine the sampling frame. Evaluate ecological integrity at monitoring sites by integrating other types of monitoring into the long-term sampling plots, such as abiotic element monitoring (e.g., tidal flow monitoring, automated weather stations and soil sensors, GIS-data layers), ecological integrity monitoring (e.g., plant and animal communities, ecological processes), MSP VF species monitoring, and threats monitoring (e.g., climate change, invasive plants).

Current Distribution Rangewide

Nonmigratory; endemic to the coast of southern California and northern Baja California [1].

Known Populations in San Diego County

Occurs in MUs 1, 2, and 6 in the MSPA. Occur along the southern coast primarily in coastal salt marshes year-round. More specifically, San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, Santa Margarita River Estuary, Buena Vista Lagoon, Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Batiquitos Lagoon, San Elijo Lagoon, San Dieguito Lagoon, and Los Penasquitos Lagoon are localities with present populations [1].

List Status

CE [2].

Habitat Affinities

Prefer to build their nests on or near the ground, concealed from above, within habitats dominated by dense pickleweed, particularly Salicornia virginica. Nests have been located in pickleweed, shore grass, and saltwort [3]. Conducting an accurate survey can be difficult since they are secretive and forage throughout a marsh, many times away from nesting sites [4, 5].

Taxonomy and Genetics

Belding’s savannah sparrow are one of the seventeen subspecies of the savannah sparrow [6]. Six of those subspecies live at least part of the year in wetlands such as salt marshes. Recognized by its heavily black-streaked underparts and dark olive-tinged upperparts, Belding’s savannah sparrow is a little brown and white streaked sparrow with a yellow eyebrow stripe. The three subspecies that migrate from the north as winter visitors have paler upperparts and defined brown streaks on their underparts. Males and females are similar in appearance [6].

Seasonal Activity

Nonmigratory and endemic to the coast of southern California [7]. During the winter individuals may form loose flocks, which appear to be aggregations around food-rich patches rather than social groups [8].

Life History/Reproduction

Breeds from April into July, peaking in May and June [9]. Females lay an average of 2-6 eggs per clutch; often double-brooded. Incubation is 10-13 days with altricial young fledging in 7-14 days [10]. Incubation and brooding mostly by female [11]. The primary habitat is the upper marsh zone that is flooded infrequently by the tide. In order to sustain the pickleweed and prevent the invasion of upland plants, the marshes must be flooded regularly, but not so deeply or for so long to preclude the birds from nesting. The birds nest only in this zone, though they range outside it to forage. Nesting success is higher where the marsh plants are denser and taller [3, 12].

Diet and Foraging

Belding’s savannah sparrows forage throughout the marsh, within the vegetation, along intertidal mudflats, and sometimes on neighboring sand dunes [1, 4]. Generally eat grass, seeds, insects, snails, and spiders. Invertebrates are the predominate food source in the breeding season, while seeds are more important the remainder of year. Scratches and gleans on ground, and picks food directly from low plants [9].

Dispersal

Limited dispersal and exists as a metapopulation with extirpation and recolonization of local populations [1, 13, 14].

Threats

Destruction or degradation to salt-marsh habitat due to the direct impact of urban development. Human impacts, such as trespassing into restricted areas, off-trail use in public areas, and feral animals entering into the marsh represent a serious threat to survival.

Special Considerations:

Narrowly restricted to coastal marshes dominated by pickleweed [6]. Pickleweed habitats have been degraded by changes in tidal flow and freshwater inputs, invasion of nonindigenous plants, and fragmentation by trails and roads. Restoration of this habitat type is difficult and may not result in suitable nesting habitat for sparrows [15].

Literature Sources

[1] Zembal, R. and S. M. Hoffman. 2010. A survey of the Belding’s Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi) in California, 2010. Calif. Dep. Fish and Game, Wildlife Branch, Nongame Wildlife Program Report 2010-10, Sacramento, CA 17 pp.

[2] California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Diversity Database. July 2017. Special Animals List. Periodic publication. 51 pp.

[3] Powell, A. N., and Collier, C. L. 1998. Reproductive success of Belding’s Savannah Sparrow in a highly fragmented landscape. Auk 115:508¬-513.

[4] Bradley, R.A. 1973. A population census of the Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi. Western Bird Bander 48(3): 40 – 43.

[5] Massey, B.W. 1977. A census of the breeding population of the Belding’s savannah sparrow in California, 1977. Nongame Wildlife Investigation Final Report E-1-1, Study IV, Job 1.2, CA Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA. 8pp + appendices.

[6] Unitt, Philip, Ann E. Klovstad, William E. Haas, Patrick J. Mock, Kirsten J. Winter, and Anthony Mercieca. 2004. San Diego County bird atlas. San Diego: San Diego Natural History Museum.

[7] James, R., and D. Stadtlander. 1991. A survey of the Belding’s Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi). 1991. Final Report. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern California Field Station, Carlsbad office, Carlsbad, California, USA.

[8] Wheelwright, N.T. & Rising, J.D. (1993) Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis). The Birds of North America no. 45 (eds A. Poole, P. Stettenheim & F. Gill), pp. 1–28. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington.

[9] Bent, A. C. (O. L. Austin, Jr., ed.). 1968. Life histories of North American cardinals, grosbeaks, buntings, towhees, finches, sparrows, and allies. 3 Parts. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 237. 1889pp.

[10] Harrison, C. 1978. A field guide to the nests, eggs and nestlings of North American birds. W. Collins Sons and Co., Cleveland, OH. 416pp.

[11] Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birder's handbook. Simon and Schuster, New York. 785pp.

[12] Powell, A. N. 1993. Nesting habitat of Belding’s Savannah Sparrows in coastal salt marshes. Wetlands 13:210-223.

[13] Bradley, R.A. 1994. Cultural change and geographic variation in the songs of the Belding’s savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 93: 91-109.

[14] Burnell, K.L. 1996. Genetic and cultural evolution in an endangered songbird, the Belding’s savannah sparrow. Santa Cruz: University of California; 203p. Ph.D. dissertation.

[15] Keer, G., and J. B. Zedler. 2002. Salt marsh canopy architecture differs with the number and composition of species. Ecological Applications 12:456-473.