Grasshopper on Grasshopper

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches

     This is my oil painting of a Grasshopper Sparrow. I suspect it’s a male because it was singing. Males will often sing to attract mates and to protect their territories; and since adult males and females look alike at all times of the year, the fact that it was singing is the only indicator I have to identify it as a possible male. 
     Did you know this bird has a teeny-tiny sliver of yellow feathers on the shoulders of its wings? Reading that Grasshopper Sparrows used to be called Yellow-winged Sparrows led me to examine my photographs closer. And voila, yellow! See photo below.
     Grasshopper Sparrows are in steep decline, having lost 78% of their population since monitoring began in 1966. In Minnesota alone, they’ve lost 97% of their population and their decline is second only to Western Meadowlarks. Their occurrence is now rare in the north and northeastern parts of the state. 
     By far, the biggest reason for this bird’s decline is habitat loss and degradation. 400,000 grassland acres were lost in Minnesota from 2007-2012. Combining Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, 99% of this bird’s prairie habitat has been lost to intensive agriculture. 
     Grasshopper Sparrows have nesting requirements of at least 20-74 acres of grassland, specifically dry, short, grassy areas with little woody encroachment, and sparse vegetation with some bare ground. So, in other words, they need a bit of land for successful reproduction. Does this bird stand a chance against agribusiness?
     In 2014, the Grasshopper Sparrow was one of four birds selected as a Target Conservation Species by Audubon Minnesota representing the state’s Prairie Parkland Region. The goal was to maintain a statewide population of at least 500,000 individuals of Grasshopper Sparrows. Population estimates at the time were only 256,000, so the plan was to essentially double that. Sadly, things haven’t gone in the right direction. 
     According to Minnesota’s Wildlife Action Plan 2025-2035, the population of the Grasshopper Sparrow has continued its downward trend. For the period of 2008-2024, the breeding bird survey’s results indicate a decline of 4%. 
     I wish I had better news to report on this beautiful bird. The only silver lining I found in my research is that climate change should increase this bird’s abundance in Minnesota, albeit not their distribution.
     Stay wild, my friends. 
Grasshopper Sparrow showing yellow on shoulder of wing. Photo taken 5/18/2026, Frontenac State Park. ©Becca Mulenburg.



References

All about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2026). Grasshopper Sparrow, Overview. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Grasshopper_Sparrow/overview 

Audubon Minnesota. (2014). Grasshopper Sparrow Minnesota Conservation Plan [PDF]. https://media.audubon.org/2025-03/grasshopper_sparrow_conservation_plan_2014.pdf?_gl=1*ladbgg*_gcl_au*MzczMTg5Mzc5LjE3ODI4NDMzNDQ.*_ga*MTUwMzM4MjY4OS4xNzgyODQzMzQ2*_ga_X2XNL2MWTT*czE3ODQ4MTg5NzkkbzIkZzEkdDE3ODQ4MTk2NzkkajMkbDAkaDA. 

Carpenter, T. (2018, July-Aug). Treasures in the Grass. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, 81(479), 54. 

Kern Audubon. (2026). Bird of the Week: Grasshopper Sparrow. https://www.kernaudubonsociety.org/bird-of-the-week-grasshopper-sparrow/ 

Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas. (2026). Grasshopper Sparrow. https://mnbirdatlas.org/species/grasshopper-sparrow/ 

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2026). Minnesota’s Wildlife Action Plan 2025-2035: Conserving Habitats and Biodiversity. Ecological and Water Resources Division. 

Partners in Flight. (2026). Species Conservation Profiles. Grasshopper Sparrow. https://partnersinflight.org/species/grasshopper-sparrow/ 

Pearson, T.G. (1936). Birds of America. Garden City Books.
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Copyright notification: The internet is a scary place. I have seen my artwork on unauthorized websites. This is called stealing, also known as copyright infringement. The only authorized websites allowed to display my artwork are www.beccamulenburg.com, www.beccamulenburg.blogspot.com, and galleries currently showing my work. Any other website, posting, sales of my work, or the like, is illegitimate and operating under copyright infringement which is against the law. Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages up to $30,000 for each work infringed and, if willful infringement is proven by the copyright owner, that amount may be increased up to $150,000 for each work infringed. Please be aware. Copyrights do not transfer with the sale of any of my artworks.

Location: Duluth, MN 55811, USA

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