Once down to 80 in the wild, the Florida grasshopper sparrow is at risk of extinction. Biologist Fabiola “Fabby” Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat, and the headwaters of the Everglades.
This film, which was co-produced with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed by National Geographic’s YouTube channel, aims to bring greater attention to the plight of this unique species — which has lost 90% of its native dry prairie habitat due to development — and spur the further action needed to save the bird from extinction.
The film showcases how the Florida grasshopper sparrow has become a catalyst for the protection of the Everglades headwaters, as well as the wider Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Project
Outcome
The Little Brown Bird has been screened at a range of film festivals and conferences, from the Florida Film Festival to the America’s Grasslands Conference. It has also generated a variety of media stories that have helped amplify its message to new audiences (see below). The film is also featured on the website of the Sentinel Landscapes partnership.
10+
festival awards and recognitions
200K+
views on YouTube
Screened directly for Sentinel Landscapes managers
Watch The Film
Once thriving across Florida’s dry prairies, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow now faces near extinction due to the loss of over 90% of its original habitat. For more information visit: thelittlebrownbird.film/the-issue/
