American sparrow

American Sparrows
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Inopinaves
Order:	Passeriformes
Suborder:	Passeri
Clade:	Passerid clade
Clade:	Nine-primaried oscines
Epifamily:	Icteroidae
Clade:	Bunting and sparrow group
Family:	Arremonidae Cabanis & Heine, 1850-51
Tribes
Spizellini Ammodramini Chlorospingini Arremonini Passerellini Passerculini Pipilonini
Synonyms
Emberizidae Passerellidae

American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns.

Although they share the name sparrow, American sparrows are more closely related to Old World buntings (which are also in the family Emberizidae) than they are to the Old World sparrows (family Passeridae). American sparrows are also similar in both appearance and habit to finches, with which they sometimes used to be classified.

Species in taxonomic order

Spizellini

• Genus Chondestes
  • Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus

• Genus Calamospiza
  • Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys

• Genus Amphispiza
  • Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata
  • Five-striped Sparrow, Amphispiza quinquestriata

• Genus Spizella
  • Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
  • Clay-coloured Sparrow, Spizella pallida
  • Black-chinned Sparrow, Spizella atrogularis
  • Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla
  • Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella breweri
    • Timberline Sparrow, Spizelloides breweri taverneri
  • Worthen's Sparrow, Spizella wortheni

Ammodramini

• Genus Rhynchospiza
  • Tumbes Sparrow, Rhynchospiza stolzmanni
  • Stripe-capped Sparrow, Rhynchospiza strigiceps

• Genus Ammodramus
  • Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
  • Grassland Sparrow, Ammodramus humeralis
  • Yellow-browed Sparrow, Ammodramus aurifrons

• Genus Arremonops
  • Olive Sparrow, Arremonops rufivirgatus
  • Green-backed Sparrow, Arremonops chloronotus
  • Black-striped Sparrow, Arremonops conirostris
  • Tocuyo Sparrow, Arremonops tocuyensis

• Genus Peucaea
  • Rufous-winged Sparrow, Peucaea carpalis
  • Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, Peucaea sumichrasti
  • Botteri's Sparrow, Peucaea botterii
  • Cassin's Sparrow, Peucaea cassinii
  • Bachman's Sparrow, Peucaea aestivalis
  • Stripe-headed Sparrow, Peucaea ruficauda
  • Black-chested Sparrow, Peucaea humeralis
  • Bridled Sparrow, Peucaea mystacalis

Chlorospingini

• Genus Oreothraupis
  • Tanager Finch, Oreothraupis arremonops

• Genus Chlorospingus
  • Short-billed Chlorospingus/ Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager, Chlorospingus parvirostris
  • Yellow-throated Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus flavigularis
  • Ashy-throated Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus canigularis
  • Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus pileatus
  • Wetmore's Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus wetmorei
  • White-fronted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus albifrons
  • Brown-headed Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
  • Dwight's Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus dwighti
  • Dusky-headed Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus postocularis
  • Dotted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus punctulatus
  • Common Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus venezuelanus
  • Buff-breasted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus cinereocephalus
  • Tacarcuna Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus tacarcunae
  • Pirre Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus inornatus
  • Yellow-breasted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus flavopectus
  • Dusky Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus semifuscus

Now in Thraupidae: Yellow-green Bush-Tanager, "Chlorospingus" flavovirens

Arremonini

• Genus Arremon
  • Sooty-faced Finch, Arremon crassirostris
  • Olive Finch, Arremon castaneiceps
  • Saffron-billed Sparrow, Arremon flavirostris
  • Pectoral Sparrow, Arremon taciturnus
  • Half-collared Sparrow, Arremon semitorquatus
  • Sao Francisco Sparrow, Arremon franciscanus
  • Black-capped Sparrow, Arremon abeillei
  • Orange-billed Sparrow, Arremon aurantiirostris
  • Golden-winged Sparrow, Arremon schlegeli
  • Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Arremon brunneinucha
  • Green-striped Brush-Finch, Arremon virenticeps
  • Costa Rican Brush-Finch, Arremon costaricensis
  • Grey-browed Brush-Finch, Arremon assimilis
  • Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch, Arremon basilicus
  • Perija Brush-Finch, Arremon perijanus
  • White-browed Brush-Finch, Arremon torquatus
  • Black-headed Brush-Finch, Arremon atricapillus
  • Caracas Brush-Finch, Arremon phaeopleurus
  • Paria Brush-Finch, Arremon phygas

Passerellini

• Genus Spizelloides
  • American Tree Sparrow, Spizelloides arborea

• Genus Passerella
  • Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca
    • Red Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) iliaca
    • Sooty Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) unalaschcensis
    • Slate-coloured Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) schistacea
    • Thick-billed Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) megarhyncha

• Genus Junco
  • Volcano Junco, Junco vulcani
  • Guadalupe Junco, Junco insularis
  • Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
    • White-winged Junco, Junco hyemalis aikeni
  • Yellow-eyed Junco, Junco phaeonotus

• Genus Zonotrichia
  • Rufous-collared Sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis
  • Harris's Sparrow, Zonotrichia querula
  • White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
  • White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla

Passerculini

• Genus Pooecetes
  • Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus

• Genus Artemisiospiza
  • Bell's Sparrow, Artemisiospiza belli
  • Sagebrush Sparrow, Artemisiospiza nevadensis

• Genus Ammospiza
  • Le Conte's Sparrow, Ammospiza leconteii
  • Seaside Sparrow, Ammospiza maritimus
    • Dusky Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens (extinct, 1987)
  • Nelson's Sparrow, Ammospiza nelsoni
  • Saltmarsh Sparrow, Ammospiza caudacutus

• Genus Oriturus
  • Striped Sparrow, Oriturus superciliosus

• Genus Passerculus
  • Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
    • Ipswich Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis princeps
    • Large-billed Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis rostratus

• Genus Centronyx
  • Baird's Sparrow, Centronyx bairdii

• Genus Nemospiza
  • Henslow's Sparrow, Nemospiza henslowii

• Genus Melospiza
  • Sierra Madre Sparrow, Melospiza baileyi
  • Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
  • Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii
  • Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana

Pipilonini

• Genus Pezopetes
  • Large-footed Finch, Pezopetes capitalis

• Genus Torreornis
  • Zapata Sparrow, Torreornis inexpectata

• Genus Kieneria
  • Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow, Kieneria kieneri
  • Canyon Towhee, Kieneria fuscus
  • White-throated Towhee, Kieneria albicollis
  • California Towhee, Kieneria crissalis
  • Abert's Towhee, Kieneria aberti

• Genus Aimophila
  • White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Aimophila leucotis
  • Prevost's Ground-Sparrow, Aimophila biarcuata
  • Rusty Sparrow, Aimophila rufescens
  • Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps
  • Oaxaca Sparrow, Aimophila notosticta

• Genus Pipilo
  • Collared Towhee, Pipilo ocai
  • Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus
  • Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
    • Olive-backed Towhee, Pipilo maculatus macronyx
    • Socorro Towhee, Pipilo maculatus socorroensis
  • Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus
  • Bermuda Towhee, Pipilo naufragus

• Genus Atlapetes
  • Rufous-capped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pileatus
  • White-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albinucha
  • Yellow-thighed Finch, Pselliophorus tibialis
  • Yellow-green Finch, Pselliophorus luteoviridis
  • Tepui Brush-Finch, Atlapetes personatus
  • Black-spectacled Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanopsis
  • Apurimac Brush-Finch, Atlapetes forbesi
  • Cuzco Brush-Finch, Atlapetes canigenis
  • Vilcabamba Brush-Finch, Atlapetes terborghi
  • Moustached Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albofrenatus
  • Santa Marta Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanocephalus
  • Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch, Atlapetes semirufus
  • Bolivian Brush-Finch, Atlapetes rufinucha
  • Fulvous-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes fulviceps
  • Yellow-striped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes citrinellus
  • White-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albiceps
  • White-rimmed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes leucopis
  • Yellow-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes flaviceps
  • Dusky-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes fuscoolivaceus
  • Rufous-eared Brush-Finch, Atlapetes rufigenis
  • Tricoloured Brush-Finch, Atlapetes tricolor
  • Slaty Brush-Finch, Atlapetes schistaceus
  • Pale-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pallidinucha
  • Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch/Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes latinuchus
  • Black-faced Brush-Finch/Grey-eared Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanolaemus
  • White-winged Brush-Finch, Atlapetes leucopterus
  • Pale-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pallidiceps
  • Bay-crowned Brush-Finch, Atlapetes seebohmi
  • Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch, Atlapetes nationi
  • Antioquia Brush-Finch, Atlapetes blancae

References

• Byers, Olsson and Curson, Buntings and Sparrows ISBN 1-873403-19-4

External links

• American Sparrow videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection

This article is part of Project Bird Families, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird family, including made-up families.

This article is part of Project Bird Taxonomy, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every order, family and other taxonomic rank related to birds.