The Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) breeds across most of the northern half of the United States (but it is more common in the west) and into the plains of western Canada. It uses a variety of habitats including grasslands, sagebrush, brush lands, etc. It is a common wintering species in the southern United States where it can often be found in fairly large numbers in the right habitat. The top two individuals pictured here, males on nesting territories, were photographed near Vernal, Uintah Co., Utah in June, 2001, with a Canon EOS 3 and an EF 500 mm F4L IS lens with a 2X extender on Fuji Velvia.

The Vesper Sparrow on the left, as well as the 7 more shots below that one, were all photographed in upper Crouse Canyon, Uintah Co., Utah, in June, 2007, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and a 1.4 or 2X extender, depending on the shot.