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Platte River Status: A common migrant and uncommon and local summer resident. Occurrence dates at the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, range from 28 March to 4 November. Vesper sparrow occurs only as a spring (20 April to 5 May) and fall (29 September to 21 October) migrant in Lincoln County (Tout 1947). Rosche (1979) reported similar occurrence dates from the lower North Platte River Valley.

Breeding Range: An uncommon and local summer resident on the Dissected Plain; rare on the Eastern Plain and in the Platte River Valley physiographic regions.

Breeding Population: The estimated breeding population in 1979-80 was 3,860 pairs.

Habitat: The highest mean breeding density in our study area was 0.5 pairs/km² in domestic hayland, followed by 0.2 pairs/km² in upland prairie. Within the northern Great Plains, vesper sparrow is a common nesting species in grasslands supporting shrubby vegetation. Kantrud and Kologiski (1982) did not find heavy grazing to negatively affect nesting densities of vesper sparrow. Characteristic vegetation of vesper sparrow territories included western wheatgrass, Junegrass, fringed sage and black sage. Stewart (1975) described the vesper sparrow as one of the characteristic field and prairie edge nesting species in North Dakota. In cropland areas, vesper sparrow regularly occurs along weedy fencerows and in shelterbelts. Graber and Graber (1963) reported that vesper sparrow occurred with fairly high frequency in bare fields, row crops, and plowed fields in Illinois.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Because of their tolerance for heavy grazing of grasslands by livestock, and the ability to nest successfully in agricultural fields, we do not believe there has been any net impact on this species in the Platte River Valley.

Nesting Data: Nesting vesper sparrow in North Dakota reach peak activity during late May to mid July (Stewart 1975). Among 19 nests examined in North Dakota, all were located on the ground in sparse to fairly dense herbaceous cover. Colorado egg dates are from 11 May to 4 July (Johnsgard 1979).