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Breeding Range. (Fig. 182). Common in the Agassiz Lake Plain Region and in the Turtle Mountains; fairly common (locally common) throughout the Prairie Pothole Region and on the Coteau Slope (most numerous in the Pembina Hills, in the vicinity of Devils Lake, in the valleys along the Sheyenne, James, and Mouse rivers and their tributaries, along the Missouri River, and in the portion of the Missouri Coteau occurring within Mountrail and Burke Counties); uncommon (fairly common locally) in the northern portion of the Missouri Slope (largely restricted to valleys along the Knife River and tributaries); uncommon and local in the southern portion of the Missouri Slope and throughout the Little Missouri Slope (largely retricted to valleys along the Heart, Cannonball, and Little Missouri rivers and their tributaries).

Breeding Habitat. Prevalent natural habitats include thickets of shrubs and small trees on native prairie, brushy margins or openings of upland and bottomland woods, brushy margins of ponds and lakes, and shrub swamps. Principal species of trees or shrubs in these habitats include choke cherry, wild plum, Saskatoon serviceberry, hawthorn, western rose, and shrub willows.

Disturbance habitats created by man also are utilized to a considerable extent. These include established open growth of trees and shrubs in city parks and suburbs and in towns and farmsteads. In agricultural areas, tree claims and shelterbelts also are frequently occupied.

Nesting. Breeding season: Early May to mid-September; peak, mid-May to early August. On May 4 [1963], adults were observed building a nest in Stutsman County (RES). Extreme egg dates (12 nests): May 25 [1963] in Stutsman County (K. D. Bayha, D. L. Trauger) to July 11 [1895] in Rolette County (Bishop egg collection catalog, Peabody Museum). Extreme nestling dates (3 nests): June 14 [1895] in Rolette County (Bishop 1896) to June 30 [1917] in Richland County (Jensen 1918). Dependent young out of the nest were recorded as late as September 17 [1962] in Stutsman County (RES).

Nests ordinarily are situated from 4 to 30 inches above the ground in shrubs or tree saplings or in coarse weeds and grasses.

Indicated clutch size (11 nests): 3 to 5 eggs; mean, 4.4 eggs.

Figure 182. Breeding Range of Song Sparrow.