Black-throated Sparrow
Encyclopedia
The Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) is a small sparrow
primarily found in the southwestern United States
and Mexico
. It is sometimes referred to as the Desert Sparrow, due to its preferred habitat of arid desert hillsides and scrub. This name usually refers to the Desert Sparrow
of Africa and Asia.
The Black-throated Sparrow reaches a length of about 4.5-5.5 inches, and is pale gray above, with a distinctive black and white head pattern.Immature are similar but lacks a black throat. Its call is high and bell-like, and its song is a fairly simple, mechanical tinkling. It feeds primarily on insects and seeds, and travels in small groups, though larger groups may accumulate around sources of water in the desert.
It has a loose nest of grass twigs and plant fibers carefully hidden in brush 6-18 inches above the ground. 3-4 white or pale blue eggs are laid.
American sparrow
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....
primarily found in the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is sometimes referred to as the Desert Sparrow, due to its preferred habitat of arid desert hillsides and scrub. This name usually refers to the Desert Sparrow
Desert Sparrow
The Desert Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae. It is found in desert and sandy areas of northern and central Africa, with a distinct subspecies in areas of Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan sometimes called the Asian Desert Sparrow or Zarudny's Sparrow .The Desert Sparrow is not...
of Africa and Asia.
The Black-throated Sparrow reaches a length of about 4.5-5.5 inches, and is pale gray above, with a distinctive black and white head pattern.Immature are similar but lacks a black throat. Its call is high and bell-like, and its song is a fairly simple, mechanical tinkling. It feeds primarily on insects and seeds, and travels in small groups, though larger groups may accumulate around sources of water in the desert.
It has a loose nest of grass twigs and plant fibers carefully hidden in brush 6-18 inches above the ground. 3-4 white or pale blue eggs are laid.
External links
- Black-throated Sparrow - Amphispiza bilineata - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Black-throated Sparrow Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Black-throated Sparrow Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology