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Black-chinned Sparrow

Black-chinned Sparrow

Spizella atrogularis

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Black-chinned Sparrow

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Black-chinned Sparrow

The black-chinned sparrow (Spizella atrogularis) is a small bird in the genus Spizella, in the New World sparrow family Passerellidae. It is found in the southwestern United States and throughout much of Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec; most populations in the US migrate south after breeding while those in Mexico are resident. It is a slim, long-tailed bird, primarily gray with a reddish-brown back streaked with black, brown wings and tail, a pink beak, and brownish legs and feet. In the breeding season, the male shows black on his throat, chin, and the front of his face. Females, youngsters and nonbreeding males show little or no black in these areas.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Spizella atrogularis
Family
New World Sparrows
Order
Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the new world sparrows family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • Abert's Towhee Melozone aberti
  • American Tree Sparrow Spizelloides arborea
  • Bachman's Sparrow Peucaea aestivalis
  • Baird's Junco Junco bairdi
  • Baird's Sparrow Centronyx bairdii
  • Bell's Sparrow Artemisiospiza belli
  • Black-chested Sparrow Peucaea humeralis
  • Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
  • Botteri's Sparrow Peucaea botterii
  • Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri
  • Bridled Sparrow Peucaea mystacalis
  • California Towhee Melozone crissalis

Know when the Black-chinned Sparrow turns up near you

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