The genus ''Spizella'' is a group of
American sparrow
New World sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming the family Passerellidae. They are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns.
Although they share t ...
s in the family
Passerellidae.
These birds are fairly small and slim, with short bills, round heads and long wings. They are usually found in semi-open areas, and outside of the
nesting season they often forage in small mixed flocks.
Systematics
This genus was formerly placed with the
Old World
The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...
buntings in the family Emberizidae.
However, genetic studies revealed that
New World sparrows formed a distinct clade and thus it was placed in the resurrected family Passerellidae.
Species
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Chipping sparrow
The chipping sparrow (''Spizella passerina'') is a species of New World sparrow, a passerine bird in the family Passerellidae. It is widespread, fairly tame, and common across most of its North American range.
There are two subspecies, the east ...
, ''Spizella passerina''
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Clay-colored sparrow, ''Spizella pallida''
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Brewer's sparrow, ''Spizella breweri''
**
Timberline sparrow
The timberline sparrow (''Spizella breweri taverneri'') is a taxonomically controversial American sparrow. Usually treated as a subspecies of Brewer's sparrow, it is considered a distinct species ''Spizella taverneri'' by some authorities. While ...
, ''Spizella breweri taverneri''
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Field sparrow, ''Spizella pusilla''
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Worthen's sparrow
Worthen's sparrow (''Spizella wortheni'') is a species of American sparrow that is endemic to northeastern Mexico. It was first described by Robert Ridgway in 1884 and named for the American naturalist Charles K. Worthen. This small bird has bee ...
, ''Spizella wortheni''
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Black-chinned sparrow, ''Spizella atrogularis''
The
American tree sparrow
The American tree sparrow (''Spizelloides arborea''), also known as the winter sparrow, is a medium-sized New World sparrow.
It had been classified under the genus ''Spizella'', but multilocus molecular evidence suggested placement in its own ge ...
, ''Spizelloides arborea'', was formerly a member of this group, but is now placed in its own
monotypic genus ''Spizelloides''.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q955626
Bird genera
American sparrows
Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte