Editing LeConte's sparrow (section)

==Behaviour==
It is a very secretive bird that prefers to spend most of its time on the ground under the cover of tall grasses.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/> They are typically very difficult to flush, often only [[Escape distance|flushing at a distance]] of {{cvt|1–3|m|ft|0}} as they prefer to run across the ground.<ref name=Cornell>{{cite web|title=LeConte's sparrow |access-date=13 October 2011|website= Cornell Lab of Ornithology|url= http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Le_Contes_sparrow/lifehistory}}</ref> When they do emerge they rarely fly more than a foot or two above the grass and often descend again within a few meters.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/><ref name=Vanner>Vanner, M. (2004). ''The Encyclopedia of North American Birds''. Bath: Parragon Publishing.</ref> Because it is so rarely seen, there are still many gaps in knowledge about LeConte's sparrow. Nests are often very hard to find, and individuals are more often identified by sound than by sight. For example, one survey of LeConte's sparrows identified 86 males by sound, but only 8 of those males by sight.<ref name=Earley/> For the same reason, very few LeConte's have ever been [[Bird ringing|banded]]. Between 1967 and 1984, only 355 were actually banded, and none were ever re-captured.<ref name=Cornell/>

===Vocalizations===
The male's song resembles a [[grasshopper]] buzz with a short squeaky introductory note and ending with a short chirp.<ref name="Manitoba Naturalists"/> It is often described as ''tika-zzzzzzzzzzzz-tik'' while the call is a short ''tsip''.<ref name=Earley/><ref name=Alsop/> It is most commonly confused with the song of the [[Nelson's sparrow]]. The male generally sings from a concealed location, but can also be seen singing from the top of protruding grass stems, or occasionally in flight.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/>

===Diet===
Their diet in the summer is mostly [[insect]]s such as [[weevil]]s, [[leafhopper]]s, [[leaf beetle]]s, [[Halyomorpha halys|stinkbug]]s, [[caterpillar]]s, [[moth]]s and [[spider]]s.<ref name=Easterla>{{cite journal|author=Easterla, D. A. |date=1 April 1962|title=Foods of Le Conte's sparrow|journal= [[Ornithology (journal)|The Auk]]|volume=79 |issue=2 |pages= 272–273|doi=10.2307/4082534 |jstor=4082534 }}</ref> During the winter time the main diet consists of [[seed predation|seeds]] of [[grass]]es and [[weed]]s such as [[Sporobolus heterolepis|northern dropseed]], [[Indian grass]], [[Alopecurus pratensis|yellow foxtail]], [[Panicum virgatum|panic-grass]], [[scorpion-grass]], [[little bluestem]], and [[big bluestem]].<ref name=Easterla/>

===Reproduction===
[[Mating]] can start as early as late April but peaks in mid-May.<ref name="Manitoba Naturalists"/> Males will sing from the cover of dense grasses, perched on tall grass or in flight.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/> Clutches range from two to six eggs with four being the most common.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/> [[Avian incubation|Incubation]] is done solely by the female, though both parents aid in feeding.<ref name=Alsop/> Incubation lasts an average of 11–13 days.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/> [[Hatchling]]s are [[altricial]] with dull brown [[Down feather|downy]] patches.<ref name=Cornell/><ref name="Baicich Harrison">Baicich, P.J. and C. J. Harrison. (1997). ''A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds Second Edition''. Natural World Academic Press.</ref> Pairs will have one or two broods per year.<ref name=Alsop/> Due to the secretive nature of this bird little is known about the period of time between hatching and [[Fledge|fledging]].<ref name="Baicich Harrison"/>

====Nest====
[[Bird nest|Nests]] are built by the female and are [[cup nest|cup]] shaped, made from fine grasses and lined with soft grass and [[hair]].<ref name=Cornell/><ref name="Baicich Harrison"/> They are usually attached to standing grasses or [[Cyperaceae|sedges]] and are built on or close to the ground.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/><ref name="Baicich Harrison"/> Their nests are often [[Parasitism|parasitized]] by [[brown-headed cowbird]]s (''Molothrus ater'').<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/>

====Eggs====
[[bird egg|Eggs]] are 18 X 14&nbsp;mm long and are [[Ellipse|sub elliptical]] in shape.<ref name="Baicich Harrison"/> Eggs are white with undertones of green, grey or blue; covered in fine brown dots, speckles or splotches usually clustered near large end of egg.<ref name="Baicich Harrison"/>