Bell's sparrow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bell's sparrow
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Artemisiospiza
Species:	belli

The Bell's sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) is a small-to-medium-sized bird found in the western United States and northwestern Mexico. It belongs to a group of birds called American sparrows. This bird used to be placed in a different group, but scientists recently found enough evidence to give it its very own group, or genus, called Artemisiospiza.

There are four main groups, or subspecies, of Bell's sparrows that live in different areas. For example, one group lives in south-central California, while another lives along the California Coast Ranges and parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains. A special group lives only on San Clemente Island, and another lives in western Baja California. The American Ornithologists' Union now sees Bell's sparrow as its own unique species. It was once thought to be the same as the sagebrush sparrow, and together they were known as the sage sparrow.

What Does the Bell's Sparrow Look Like?

A Bell's Sparrow looking forward.

It can be tricky to tell a Bell's sparrow apart from a sagebrush sparrow when you see them in nature. Both birds are about 6 in (15 cm) long and weigh around 16.5 g (0.58 oz).

Here are some clues to help tell them apart:

• The Bell's sparrow usually has a darker stripe on its cheek (called the malar stripe) than its head. For the sagebrush sparrow, this stripe is about the same shade as its head.
• The malar stripe on a Bell's sparrow is also usually thicker.
• The amount of streaks on their back and the color of their back feathers can also be different. However, this can change as their feathers wear out.
• Bell's sparrows have little or no white feathers in their tail. But this isn't always a sure way to tell them apart.

Where Do Bell's Sparrows Live?

Bell's sparrows often live in areas with lots of sagebrush plants. But you can also find them in places with other low shrubs. These include plants like saltbush and chamise, which grow in dry, desert-like areas of the western United States.

One special group of Bell's sparrows, called A. b. clementeae, lives only on San Clemente Island. This group has been listed as a threatened species since 1977. This means their numbers are getting low, and they need protection to survive.

The name "Bell's sparrow" and its scientific name (belli) honor a person named John Graham Bell.

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• Audio recordings of Bell's sparrow on Xeno-canto.

See also

In Spanish: Gorrión troglodita para niños