Miraculous Shades of Brown

BirdNote^®
Miraculous Shades of Brown
Written by Deja Perkins

This is BirdNote.

On the ground, amongst the leaves, you’ll see miraculous shades of brown hopping around. Sparrows are often described as “just another brown bird” and dismissed in favor of more colorful species, but sparrows come in a wide range of hues.

From the rusty brown mohawk of the chipping sparrow…

[Chipping Sparrow song, ML534482]

…to the chocolate brown atop the wings of the Swamp Sparrow…

[Swamp Sparrow song, ML456922671]

… and the soft beige streaks on a Song Sparrow’s chest with a spot of dark cocoa brown in the center.

[Song Sparrow song, ML94425]

Sparrows have so many beautiful combinations of brown. Just as sparrows are frequently dismissed in favor of more "charismatic" species, Black birders have historically been underrepresented in conservation spaces.

This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating miraculous shades of brown by highlighting the beauty and importance of sparrows while also drawing parallels with the struggles and triumphs of Black birders.

Together, we can amplify the voices of both sparrows and Black nature enthusiasts, ensuring that no bird — or birder — is left behind. So next time you see a little bird flash across the ground, take a moment to look for the miraculous shades of brown.

For BirdNote, I’m Deja Perkins.

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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing ProducerL Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Chipping Sparrow ML534482 recorded by Wil Hershberger. Swamp Sparrow ML456922671 recorded by Jeff Ellerbusch. Song Sparrow ML94425 recorded by Wil Hershberger.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote May 2025
Narrator: Deja Perkins

ID# BBW-02-2025-05-25    BBW-02