The swamp sparrow is a small to medium sized sparrow. It has a lighter brown upper body with a whitish throat and belly, with darker brown wings and brown around the eyes. During breeding season, the male sparrow will develop a more prominently colored crown and cap than the female sparrow (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)<\/span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n George Armistead, 2004<\/p><\/div>\n Ian Davies, Macaulay Library<\/p><\/div>\n Francis Golet, URI<\/p><\/div>\n Social system<\/b><\/p>\n The Swamp sparrow is mostly a solitary bird except during migration. When flying South, they may join flocks of other birds that can include birds of other similar species. In non-breeding season, it forms large roosting flocks at night, and smaller flocks during the day. They are not social during breeding season, but otherwise, they may sing together or forage together. When swamp sparrows breed, they form a monogamous relationship and raise 2 or more clutches a year. Both parents help feed and take care of the young. Male swamp sparrows will be aggressive with other males during breeding season or when establishing territory. They also have a tendency to be aggressive with song sparrows, however they are not usually the ones to attack first. A male swamp sparrow may make an aggressive \u201cwing waving\u201d behavior when a male enters their territory. They use different vocalizations to communicate, the chip call note being used most to signal the male not to harass the female when she is around the nest, as well as for mobbing, inter-flock location, alarm, and predator warning (Mowbray, 1997). <\/span><\/p>\n Video of Wing Waving<\/span>: <\/span><\/p>\n