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Breeding Range. (Fig. 175). Locally common in the Agassiz Lake Plain Region and on the Northeastern Drift Plain, Northwestern Drift Plain, Missouri Coteau, and Little Missouri Slope; fairly common locally in the Turtle Mountains and on the Southern Drift Plain, Coteau Slope, and Missouri Slope.

Breeding Habitat. The Vesper Sparrow is one of the more characteristic field and prairie edge species. It is of regular occurrence in situations where thickets or scattered small trees and shrubs or patches of coarse forbs (including introduced weeds) adjoin tracts of open prairie, hayfields, or cropland. In cropland areas, it usually occurs along weedy fencerows or shelterbelts.

Nesting. Breeding season: Mid-May to early August; peak, late May to Mid-July. Extreme egg dates (19 nests): May 19 [1969] in Stutsman County (RES) to July 24 [1901] in Rolette County (Bishop egg collection catalog, Peabody Museum). Extreme nestling dates (5 nests): July 2 [1974] in Nelson County (J. T. Lokemoen) to July 22 [1920] in Mercer County (F. M. Bailey). Extreme dates of dependent young out of the nest (5 records): June 13 [1961] in Stutsman County to July 5 [1968] in Richland County (RES).

All nests were situated on the ground in sparse to fairly dense herbaceous vegetation.

Indicated clutch size (9 nests): 3 to 5 eggs; mean, 4 eggs.

Figure 175. Breeding Range of Vesper Sparrow.