Those "little brown birds" we often see near the ground in the open prairie are more than likely sparrows. Sparrows are like sandpipers and gulls, difficult to id for a novice like me. They are basic ground feeders preferring seeds and plants. This group of birds is widespread across North America and found in almost all habitats. They are most commonly found in open prairie grassland habitats. Like the first one in the group, Henslow's Sparrow, had everyone fooled until a couple of experts looked at the photo and declared it a Henslow's.