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Photo by Michael Woodruff
Ssp. nevadensis , the more inland form, distinguished by lots of white on the outer tail feathers, black streaks on back, and generally pale (not bold) marks. Photographed near Vantage, Kittitas County, Washington, USA

Amphispiza belli

[edit] Identification

5-6" (13-15 cm)

• Gray above
• White belly with small black mid-breast spot
• Back and sides striped
• Wings lighter with buff-colored feather edges that also form 2 wing bars
• Pronounced white eye ring
• Gray cheek
• White eyebrow
• Black "moustache" stripe

Immatures browner and have white throat and fine dark streaking on buff breast and belly.

[edit] Distribution

United States.
Breeds from Washington south to Baja California and throughout Great Basin. Winters in small flocks in low desert of southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, south into Mexico.

[edit] Status

The San Clemente Sage Sparrow, a subspecies of the Sage Sparrow, is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as threatened in California. This species lives only on San Clemente Island, in the Channel Islands. Its numbers declined rapidly when feral goats and pigs, introduced to the island, destroyed vegetation that the bird lives in. The feral grazers have been removed and the island vegetation is slowly recovering. The sparrow's numbers appear to have begun to climb slowly as a result of these recovery efforts.^[1]

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

Sagebrush, chaparral, dry foothills.

[edit] Behaviour

Rather a secretive species, disappearing quickly into cover when approached. However, during the spring breeding season, the males sing openly from a sagebrush perch.

Flicks its tail while hopping around on the ground.

[edit] Breeding

The nest is a well hidden loose cup formed from pieces of sage-brush, lined with fur. Three or four bluey-white speckled eggs are laid.

[edit] Vocalisation

Song is a short pattern of finch-like jumbling notes, rising, then falling. Call is a soft tinkling.

[edit] References

1. eNature

[edit] External Links