Difference between revisions of "Sparrow" - New World Encyclopedia

Revision as of 23:57, 14 October 2007

Old World sparrows

House Sparrow

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Passeridae Illiger, 1811

Genera

Passer
Petronia
Carpospiza
Montifringilla

Sparrow is the common name for various small passerine (perching) birds applied either to various members of the Old World family Passeridae ("true sparrows") or the American sparrows or New World sparrows within the family Emberizidae, or in some classifications within the finch family Fringillidae. The American sparrows are not closely related to the true sparrows, despite some physical resemblance, such as the seed-eater's bill and frequently well-marked heads.

Classification and description

Sparrows, whether the term is used for the Old World birds or the New World species, belong to the order Passeriformes, the largest order of birds with more than half of all species. The passerines are true perching birds, being specialized for holding onto a branch, with three toes directed forward without any webbing or joining, and one toe directed backward. In other orders of birds, the toe arrangement is different. The order includes such birds as finches, warblers, and jays. The group gets its name from the Latin name for the house sparrow, Passer domesticus. Passerines are all terrestrial, found on all continents except Antarctica. Most passerines lay colored eggs, in contrast to non-passerines, where the color generally is white with some exceptions.

Sparrows belong to the passerine suborder Passeri and thus are known as "songbirds" or "oscines." In the oscines, the vocal organ is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song. Oscines have the most control of their syrinx muscles among birds, producing a wide range of songs and other vocalizations (though some of them, such as the crows, do not sound like it, while others like the Lyrebird are accomplished imitators). Besides the sparrows, song birds include lyrebirds, blackbirds, jays, larks, warblers, finches, wrens, starlings, and cowbirds.

Within the Passeri and superfamily Passeroidea, there are various families, two of which are Passeridae (true sparrows) and Emberizidae (buntings and American sparrows). The American sparrows, which are not closely related to the Old World sparrows, have habits similar to those of finches, which comprise the family Fringillidae within the same superfamily. Older sources may place some emberizids in the Fringillidae (traditionally grouped as the subfamily Emberizinae), and the common names of some emberizids still refer to them as finches.

The Hedge Sparrow or Dunnock (Prunella modularis) is unrelated to either group, being in the passerine family Prunellidae. It is a sparrow in name only, a relic of the old practice of calling any small bird a "sparrow."

Old World sparrows

The "true sparrows", the Old World sparrows in the family Passeridae, are small passerine birds. Generally, sparrows tend to be small, plump brown-gray birds with short tails and stubby yet powerful beaks. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. They are primarily seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects. A few species scavenge for food around cities and, like gulls or pigeons, will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities. This family ranges in size from the Chestnut Sparrow (Passer eminibey), at 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and 13.4 g., to the Parrot-billed Sparrow (Passer gongonensis), at 18 cm (7 inches) and 42 g. (1.5 oz).

The Old World true sparrows are found indigenously in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In Australia and the Americas, early settlers imported some species, which quickly naturalized, particularly in urban and degraded areas. House sparrows (Passer domesticus), for example, are now found throughout North America, in every state of Australia except Western Australia, and over much of the heavily populated parts of South America. House sparrows were misnamed English sparrows, to distinguish from native fauna, but are not particularly a native of England (Zim and Gabrielson 1956).

Some authorities also classify the closely related estrildid finches of the equatorial regions and Australasia as members of the Passeridae. Like the true sparrows, the estrildid finches are small, gregarious, and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are broadly similar in structure and habits, but tend to be very colorful and vary greatly in their plumage. About 140 species are native to the Old World tropics and Australasia. Most taxonomic schemes list the estrildid finches as the separate family Estrildidae, leaving just the true sparrows in Passeridae.

Species of Old World sparrows

There are 35 species of Old World sparrows. Below is the full list.

Passer, the true sparrows
- Saxaul Sparrow, Passer ammodendri
- House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
- Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
- Sind Sparrow, Passer pyrrhonotus
- Somali Sparrow, Passer castanopterus
- Cinnamon Sparrow or Russet Sparrow, Passer rutilans
- Pegu Sparrow or Plain-backed Sparrow, Passer flaveolus
- Dead Sea Sparrow, Passer moabiticus
- Rufous Sparrow, Passer motitensis
- Socotra Sparrow, Passer insularis
- Iago Sparrow or Cape Verde Sparrow, Passer iagoensis
- Cape Sparrow or Mossie, Passer melanurus
- Grey-headed Sparrow, Passer griseus
- Swainson's Sparrow, Passer swainsonii
- Parrot-billed Sparrow, Passer gongonensis
- Swahili Sparrow, Passer suahelicus
- Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Passer diffusus
- Desert Sparrow, Passer simplex
- Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
- Sudan Golden Sparrow, Passer luteus
- Arabian Golden Sparrow, Passer euchlorus
- Chestnut Sparrow, Passer eminibey
- Italian Sparrow, Passer italiae
- Kenya Rufous Sparrow, Passer rufocinctus
- Kordofan Rufous Sparrow, Passer cordofanicus
- Shelley's Rufous Sparrow, Passer shelleyi
- Asian Desert Sparrow, Passer zarudnyi
Petronia, the rock sparrows
- Yellow-spotted Petronia, Petronia pyrgita
- Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Petronia xanthocollis
- Yellow-throated Petronia, Petronia superciliaris
- Bush Petronia, Petronia dentata
- Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia
Carpospiza, Pale Rockfinch
- Pale Rockfinch, Carpospiza brachydactyla
Montifringilla, the snowfinches
- White-winged Snowfinch, Montifringilla nivalis
- Black-winged Snowfinch, Montifringilla adamsi
- White-rumped Snowfinch, Montifringilla taczanowskii
- Père David's Snowfinch, Montifringilla davidiana
- Rufous-necked Snowfinch, Montifringilla ruficollis
- Blanford's Snowfinch, Montifringilla blanfordi
- Afghan Snowfinch, Montifringilla theresae
- Tibetan Snowfinch, Montifringilla henrici

American sparrows or New World sparrows

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 (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 of American sparrows

Genus Arremon

Orange-billed Sparrow, Arremon aurantiirostris
Pectoral Sparrow, Arremon taciturnus
San Francisco Sparrow, Arremon franciscanus
Half-collared Sparrow, Arremon semitorquatus
Golden-winged Sparrow, Arremon schlegeli
Black-capped Sparrow, Arremon abeillei
Saffron-billed Sparrow, Arremon flavirostris

Genus Arremonops

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

Genus Melozone

Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow, Melozone kieneri
Prevost's Ground-Sparrow, Melozone biarcuatum
White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Melozone leucotis

Genus Pipilo

Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus
Collared Towhee, Pipilo ocai
Rufous-sided Towhees:
- Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
  - Olive-backed Towhee, Pipilo maculatus macronyx
Socorro Towhee, Pipilo socorroensis
Brown Towhees:
- California Towhee, Pipilo crissalis
- Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus
Abert's Towhee, Pipilo aberti
White-throated Towhee, Pipilo albicollis

Genus Aimophila

Bridled Sparrow, Aimophila mystacalis
Black-chested Sparrow, Aimophila humeralis
Stripe-headed Sparrow, Aimophila ruficauda
Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, Aimophila sumichrasti
Stripe-capped Sparrow, Aimophila strigiceps
Tumbes Sparrow, Aimophila stolzmanni
Bachman's Sparrow, Aimophila aestivalis
Botteri's Sparrow, Aimophila botterii
Cassin's Sparrow, Aimophila cassinii
Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps
Rufous-winged Sparrow, Aimophila carpalis
Five-striped Sparrow, Aimophila quinquestriata
Oaxaca Sparrow, Aimophila notosticta
Rusty Sparrow, Aimophila rufescens

Genus Oriturus

Striped Sparrow, Oriturus superciliosus

Genus Torreornis

Zapata Sparrow, Torreornis inexpectata

Genus Spizella

American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea
Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
Clay-colored Sparrow, Spizella pallida
Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella breweri
- Timberline Sparrow, Spizella breweri taverneri
Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla
Worthen's Sparrow, Spizella wortheni
Black-chinned Sparrow, Spizella atrogularis

Genus Pooecetes

Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus

Genus Chondestes

Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus

Genus Amphispiza

Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata
Sage Sparrow, Amphispiza belli

Genus Calamospiza

Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys

Genus Passerculus

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

Genus Ammodramus

Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus
- Dusky Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens (extinct, 1987)
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ammodramus nelsoni
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus
Le Conte's Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii
Henslow's Sparrow, Ammodramus henslowii
Baird's Sparrow, Ammodramus bairdii
Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
Grassland Sparrow, Ammodramus humeralis
Yellow-browed Sparrow, Ammodramus aurifrons

Genus Passerella

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

Genus Xenospiza

Sierra Madre Sparrow, Xenospiza baileyi

Genus Melospiza

Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii
Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana

Genus Zonotrichia

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

Genus Junco

Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
Yellow-eyed Junco, Junco phaeonotus
Guadalupe Junco, Junco insularis
Volcano Junco, Junco vulcani

=

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Byers, Olsson and Curson, Buntings and Sparrows ISBN1-873403-19-4

Clement, Harris and Davis, Finches and Sparrows ISBN 0-7136-8017-2 (hardcover) ISBN 0-7136-5203-9 (paperback)

External links

Old World sparrow videos on the Internet Bird Collection

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

Sparrow ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of "Sparrow"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ''[[snowfinch|Montifringilla]]''
 }}
+'''Sparrow''' is the common name for various small [[passerine]] (perching) birds applied either to
+various members of the [[Old World]] family '''Passeridae''' ("true sparrows") or the American sparrows or New World sparrows within the family Emberizidae, or in some classifications within the finch family Fringillidae. The American sparrows are not closely related to the true sparrows, despite some physical resemblance, such as the seed-eater's bill and frequently well-marked heads.
-The "true sparrows", the [[Old World]] '''sparrows''' in the family '''Passeridae''', are small [[passerine]] [[bird]]s. Generally, sparrows tend to be small, plump brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby yet powerful [[beak]]s. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. They are primarily [[seed|seed-eaters]], though they also consume small [[insect]]s. A few species scavenge for food around cities and, like [[gull]]s or [[Rock Pigeon|pigeons]], will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities. This family ranges in size from the [[Chestnut Sparrow]] (''Passer eminibey''), at 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and 13.4 g., to the [[Parrot-billed Sparrow]] (''Passer gongonensis''), at 18 cm (7 inches) and 42 g. (1.5 oz).
-The Old World true sparrows are found indigenously in [[Europe]], [[Africa]] and [[Asia]]. In [[Australia]] and [[the Americas]], early settlers imported some species which quickly naturalised, particularly in urban and degraded areas. [[House Sparrow]]s, for example, are now found throughout [[North America]], in every state of Australia except [[Western Australia]], and over much of the heavily populated parts of [[South America]].
-Some authorities also classify the closely related [[estrildid finch]]es of the equatorial regions and [[Australasia]] as members of the Passeridae. Like the true sparrows, the estrildid finches are small, gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are broadly similar in structure and habits, but tend to be very colourful and vary greatly in their [[plumage]]. About 140 species are native to the old world [[tropics]] and Australasia. Most [[taxonomy|taxonomic]] schemes list the estrildid finches as the separate family Estrildidae, leaving just the true sparrows in Passeridae.
+==Classification and description==
+Sparrows, whether the term is used for the [[Old World]] birds or the [[New World]] species, belong to the [[order (biology)|order]] '''Passeriformes''', the largest order of [[bird]]s with more than half of all species. The passerines are true perching birds, being specialized for holding onto a branch, with three toes directed forward without any webbing or joining, and one toe directed backward. In other orders of birds, the toe arrangement is different. The order includes such birds as [[finch]]es, [[warbler]]s, and [[jay]]s. The group gets its name from the [[Latin]] name for the [[house sparrow]], ''Passer domesticus''. Passerines are all terrestrial, found on all continents except [[Antarctica]]. Most passerines lay colored [[egg (biology)|eggs]], in contrast to non-passerines, where the color generally is white with some exceptions.
-[[American sparrow]]s, or [[New World]] sparrows, are not closely related to the true sparrows, despite some physical resemblance, such as the seed-eater's bill and frequently well-marked heads. They are in the family [[Emberizidae]].
+Sparrows belong to the passerine suborder '''Passeri''' and thus are known as "songbirds" or "oscines." In the oscines, the vocal organ is developed in such a way as to produce various [[sound]] notes, commonly known as [[bird song]]. Oscines have the most control of their syrinx muscles among birds, producing a wide range of songs and other vocalizations (though some of them, such as the [[crow]]s, do not sound like it, while others like the [[Lyrebird]] are accomplished imitators). Besides the sparrows, song birds include lyrebirds, blackbirds, jays, larks, warblers, finches, wrens, starlings, and cowbirds.
-The Hedge Sparrow or [[Dunnock]] (''Prunella modularis'') is similarly unrelated. It is a sparrow in name only, a relic of the old practice of calling ''any'' small bird a "sparrow".
+Within the Passeri and superfamily Passeroidea, there are various families, two of which are Passeridae (true sparrows) and Emberizidae (buntings and American sparrows). The American sparrows, which are not closely related to the Old World sparrows, have habits  similar to those of [[finch]]es, which comprise the family Fringillidae within the same superfamily. Older sources may place some emberizids in the [[Fringillidae]] (traditionally grouped as the subfamily Emberizinae), and the common names of some emberizids still refer to them as finches.
+The Hedge Sparrow or [[Dunnock]] (''Prunella modularis'') is unrelated to either group, being in the passerine family Prunellidae. It is a sparrow in name only, a relic of the old practice of calling ''any'' small bird a "sparrow."
+==Old World sparrows==
+The "true sparrows", the [[Old World]] sparrows in the family '''Passeridae''', are small [[passerine]] birds. Generally, sparrows tend to be small, plump brown-gray birds with short tails and stubby yet powerful [[beak]]s. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. They are primarily [[seed|seed-eaters]], though they also consume small [[insect]]s. A few species scavenge for food around cities and, like [[gull]]s or [[Rock Pigeon|pigeons]], will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities. This family ranges in size from the [[Chestnut Sparrow]] (''Passer eminibey''), at 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and 13.4 g., to the [[Parrot-billed Sparrow]] (''Passer gongonensis''), at 18 cm (7 inches) and 42 g. (1.5 oz).
+The Old World true sparrows are found indigenously in [[Europe]], [[Africa]], and [[Asia]]. In [[Australia]] and [[the Americas]], early settlers imported some species, which quickly naturalized, particularly in urban and degraded areas. [[House sparrow]]s (''Passer domesticus''), for example, are now found throughout [[North America]], in every state of Australia except [[Western Australia]], and over much of the heavily populated parts of [[South America]]. House sparrows were misnamed English sparrows, to distinguish from native fauna, but are not particularly a native of England (Zim and Gabrielson 1956).
+Some authorities also classify the closely related [[estrildid finch]]es of the equatorial regions and [[Australasia]] as members of the Passeridae. Like the true sparrows, the estrildid finches are small, gregarious, and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are broadly similar in structure and habits, but tend to be very colorful and vary greatly in their [[plumage]]. About 140 species are native to the Old World [[tropics]] and Australasia. Most [[taxonomy|taxonomic]] schemes list the estrildid finches as the separate family Estrildidae, leaving just the true sparrows in Passeridae.
+===Species of Old World sparrows===
 There are 35 species of Old World sparrows. Below is the full list.
-== Species list in taxonomic order==
 *''[[Passer]]'', the true sparrows
 **[[Saxaul Sparrow]],  ''Passer ammodendri''
@@ Line 79: / Line 90: @@
 **[[Tibetan Snowfinch]], ''Montifringilla henrici''
-==Sparrows in literature==
+==American sparrows or New World sparrows==
-References to Old World sparrows in literature usually refer to the [[House Sparrow]].
+''American sparrows'' are a group of mainly New World [[passerine]] [[bird]]s, forming part of the family [[Emberizidae]]. American sparrows are seed-eating [[bird]]s 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 [[bunting (bird)|buntings]] (family Emberizidae) than they are to the Old World sparrows (family Passeridae). American sparrows are also similar in both appearance and habit to [[finch]]es, with which they sometimes used to be classified.
+===Species of American sparrows===
+'''Genus ''[[Arremon]]'''''
+* [[Orange-billed Sparrow]], <i>Arremon aurantiirostris</i>
+* [[Pectoral Sparrow]], <i>Arremon taciturnus</i>
+* [[San Francisco Sparrow]], ''Arremon franciscanus''<!-- BullBOC124:207 —>
+* [[Half-collared Sparrow]], <i>Arremon semitorquatus</i>
+* [[Golden-winged Sparrow]], <i>Arremon schlegeli</i>
+* [[Black-capped Sparrow]], <i>Arremon abeillei</i>
+* [[Saffron-billed Sparrow]], <i>Arremon flavirostris</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Arremonops]]'''''
+* [[Olive Sparrow]], <i>Arremonops rufivirgatus</i>
+* [[Tocuyo Sparrow]], <i>Arremonops tocuyensis</i>
+* [[Green-backed Sparrow]], <i>Arremonops chloronotus</i>
+* [[Black-striped Sparrow]], <i>Arremonops conirostris</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Melozone]]'''''
+* [[Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow]], <i>Melozone kieneri</i>
+* [[Prevost's Ground-Sparrow]], <i>Melozone biarcuatum</i>
+* [[White-eared Ground-Sparrow]], <i>Melozone leucotis</i>
+'''Genus ''[[towhee|Pipilo]]'''''
+* [[Green-tailed Towhee]], <i>Pipilo chlorurus</i>
+* [[Collared Towhee]], <i>Pipilo ocai</i>
+* Rufous-sided Towhees:
+** [[Eastern Towhee]], <i>Pipilo erythrophthalmus</i>
+** [[Spotted Towhee]], <i>Pipilo maculatus</i>
+***Olive-backed Towhee, ''Pipilo maculatus macronyx''
+* [[Socorro Towhee]], <i>Pipilo socorroensis</i>
+* Brown Towhees:
+** [[California Towhee]], <i>Pipilo crissalis</i>
+** [[Canyon Towhee]], <i>Pipilo fuscus</i>
+* [[Abert's Towhee]], <i>Pipilo aberti</i>
+* [[White-throated Towhee]], <i>Pipilo albicollis</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Aimophila]]'''''
+* [[Bridled Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila mystacalis</i>
+* [[Black-chested Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila humeralis</i>
+* [[Stripe-headed Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila ruficauda</i>
+* [[Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila sumichrasti</i>
+* [[Stripe-capped Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila strigiceps</i>
+* [[Tumbes Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila stolzmanni</i>
+* [[Bachman's Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila aestivalis</i>
+* [[Botteri's Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila botterii</i>
+* [[Cassin's Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila cassinii</i>
+* [[Rufous-crowned Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila ruficeps</i>
+* [[Rufous-winged Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila carpalis</i>
+* [[Five-striped Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila quinquestriata</i>
+* [[Oaxaca Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila notosticta</i>
+* [[Rusty Sparrow]], <i>Aimophila rufescens</i>
+'''Genus ''Oriturus'''''
+* [[Striped Sparrow]], <i>Oriturus superciliosus</i>
+'''Genus ''Torreornis'''''
+* [[Zapata Sparrow]], <i>Torreornis inexpectata</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Spizella]]'''''
+* [[American Tree Sparrow]], <i>Spizella arborea</i>
+* [[Chipping Sparrow]], <i>Spizella passerina</i>
+* [[Clay-colored Sparrow]], <i>Spizella pallida</i>
+* [[Brewer's Sparrow]], <i>Spizella breweri</i>
+** [[Timberline Sparrow]], ''Spizella breweri taverneri''
+* [[Field Sparrow]], <i>Spizella pusilla</i>
+* [[Worthen's Sparrow]], <i>Spizella wortheni</i>
+* [[Black-chinned Sparrow]], <i>Spizella atrogularis</i>
+'''Genus ''Pooecetes'''''
+* [[Vesper Sparrow]], <i>Pooecetes gramineus</i>
+'''Genus ''Chondestes'''''
+* [[Lark Sparrow]], <i>Chondestes grammacus</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Amphispiza]]'''''
+* [[Black-throated Sparrow]], <i>Amphispiza bilineata</i>
+* [[Sage Sparrow]], <i>Amphispiza belli</i>
+'''Genus ''Calamospiza'''''
+* [[Lark Bunting]], <i>Calamospiza melanocorys</i>
+'''Genus ''Passerculus'''''
+* [[Savannah Sparrow]], ''Passerculus sandwichensis''
+** Ipswich Sparrow, ''Passerculus sandwichensis princeps''
+* [[Large-billed Sparrow]], ''Passerculus rostratus''
+'''Genus ''[[Ammodramus]]'''''
+* [[Seaside Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus maritimus</i>
+** [[Dusky Seaside Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens</i> ([[extinct]], [[1987]])
+* [[Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus nelsoni</i>
+* [[Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus caudacutus</i>
+* [[Le Conte's Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus leconteii</i>
+* [[Henslow's Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus henslowii</i>
+* [[Baird's Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus bairdii</i>
+* [[Grasshopper Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus savannarum</i>
+* [[Grassland Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus humeralis</i>
+* [[Yellow-browed Sparrow]], <i>Ammodramus aurifrons</i>
+'''Genus ''Passerella'''''
+* [[Fox Sparrow]], ''Passerella iliaca''
+** [[Red Fox Sparrow]], ''Passerella (iliaca) iliaca''
+** [[Sooty Fox Sparrow]], ''Passerella (iliaca) unalaschcensis''
+** [[Slate-colored Fox Sparrow]], ''Passerella (iliaca) schistacea''
+** [[Thick-billed Fox Sparrow]], ''Passerella (iliaca) megarhyncha''
+'''Genus ''Xenospiza'''''
+* [[Sierra Madre Sparrow]], <i>Xenospiza baileyi</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Melospiza]]'''''
+* [[Song Sparrow]], <i>Melospiza melodia</i>
+* [[Lincoln's Sparrow]], <i>Melospiza lincolnii</i>
+* [[Swamp Sparrow]], <i>Melospiza georgiana</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Zonotrichia]]'''''
+* [[White-crowned Sparrow]], <i>Zonotrichia leucophrys</i>
+* [[White-throated Sparrow]], <i>Zonotrichia albicollis</i>
+* [[Golden-crowned Sparrow]], <i>Zonotrichia atricapilla</i>
+* [[Rufous-collared Sparrow]], <i>Zonotrichia capensis</i>
+* [[Harris's Sparrow]], <i>Zonotrichia querula</i>
+'''Genus ''[[Junco]]'''''
+* [[Dark-eyed Junco]], <i>Junco hyemalis</i>
+* [[Yellow-eyed Junco]], <i>Junco phaeonotus</i>
+* [[Guadalupe Junco]], <i>Junco insularis</i>
+* [[Volcano Junco]], <i>Junco vulcani</i>
+=
-*The Greek poet [[Sappho]], in her "Hymn to [[Aphrodite]]", pictures the goddess's chariot as drawn by sparrows.
-*The [[Latin poetry|Roman poet]] [[Catullus]] addresses one of his [[ode]]s to his lover [[Lesbia]]'s pet sparrow ([[Catullus 2|‘''Passer, deliciae meae puellae...''’]]), and writes an [[elegy]] on its death ([[Catullus 3|‘''Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque...''’]]). The sparrow's playful erotic intimacy with its mistress ('To whose seeking she often gives her first finger/And provokes sharp pecks') makes the poet envious. At the climax of its elegy he reproaches it for dying, and distressing her ('Now, by your deeds, my girl's/Little eyes are slightly swollen and red from weeping'). The diminutiveness of the sparrow, and the hugeness and eternity of the [[Hades|afterlife]], form a [[bathos]] that is typical of the mock elegy form: ‘''qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum''/''illuc unde negant redire quemquam''’ ('He now goes on a journey through that gloomy place,/From where they say no one returns'). The sparrow's hopping is represented metrically.
-*In the [[New Testament]], [[Jesus]] reassures his followers that even a sparrow cannot fall without God's notice, suggesting therefore that their own, more significant suffering will not be forgotten. ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 12:6; [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 10:29.)
-*In ''Phyllyp Sparowe'' (pub. c. [[16th century in literature|1505]]), by the [[English poetry|English poet]] [[John Skelton]], Jane Scrope's laments for her dead sparrow are mixed with [[antiphonary|antiphonal]] [[Latin]] [[liturgy]] from the [[Office of the Dead]]. It belongs to the same tradition as Catullus' poem, or [[Ovid]]'s lament for a [[parrot]] in the ''[[Amores]]'': 'And on me it wolde lepe/Whan I was aslepe,/And his fethers shake,/Wherewith he wolde make/Me often for to wake/And for to take him in/Upon my naked skyn'.
-*The bird is also alluded to in the line "He who lives by the stick, dies by the stick" in James Wilson's "The Stick Finch".
-*In the ''[[Redwall]]'' series of fantasy novels, sparrows are somewhat important to the plot.  They are portrayed as fierce fighters; the main sparrow character is Warbeak.
-*In the novel ''[[The Dark Half]]'', sparrows are called "psychopomps", creatures that carry spirits from the land of the living to the land of the dead.
-* ''[[Hamlet]]'', by William Shakespear, as Hamlet faces his tragic fate. he says, " There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow"
 ==References==
+* Byers, Olsson and Curson, ''Buntings and Sparrows'' ISBN1-873403-19-4
 * Clement, Harris and Davis, ''Finches and Sparrows''  ISBN 0-7136-8017-2 (hardcover) ISBN 0-7136-5203-9 (paperback)
 ==External links==