Buntings and New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)
Bell's Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) - HBW 16, p. 565
French: Bruant de Bell
German: Beifußammer
Spanish: Chingolo de Bell
Other common names: Bell’s Sage Sparrow; Saltbush Sparrow (canescens); San Clemente Sage Sparrow (clementeae)
Taxonomy: Emberiza belli Cassin, 1850, near Sonoma, California, USA.
Until recently placed in genus Amphispiza, and considered conspecific with A. nevadensis, but recent molecular work indicates that the two are, instead, members of a well-resolved clade of “grassland” sparrows that includes genera Pooecetes, Oriturus, Passerculus, Ammodramus (in part), Melospiza and Xenospiza. Present genus newly erected to accommodate these two species. Race canescens, closely similar in appearance to A. nevadensis and possibly hybridizing with it where ranges meet, has been thought perhaps to represent.. View all taxonomy...
Until recently placed in genus Amphispiza, and considered conspecific with A. nevadensis, but recent molecular work indicates that the two are, instead, members of a well-resolved clade of “grassland” sparrows that includes genera Pooecetes, Oriturus, Passerculus, Ammodramus (in part), Melospiza and Xenospiza. Present genus newly erected to accommodate these two species. Race canescens, closely similar in appearance to A. nevadensis and possibly hybridizing with it where ranges meet, has been thought perhaps to represent a separate species; further research required. Race cinerea intergrades with nominate in NC Baja California. Race clementeae should perhaps be subsumed into nominate. Four subspecies provisionally recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- belli (Cassin, 1850) - California on W slopes of C Sierra Nevada (S to Mariposa County) and coastal ranges (from Trinity County and Shasta County) S to extreme NW Mexico (NW Baja California S to c. 29° N).
- clementeae (Ridgway, 1898) - San Clemente I, off SW California.
- cinerea (C. H. Townsend, 1890) - C Baja California (S to 26° N).
- canescens (Grinnell, 1905) - breeds in interior SC California (S San Joaquin Valley, Inyo region, and S & W edges of Mojave Desert) and adjacent W Nevada; non-breeding also W to SW California, E to S Nevada and W Arizona, and S to NE Baja California.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A series of scenes showing different views of adults. Locality Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canescens)
Don DesJardin 12 September 2009 3 years ago 1 min 17 sec 5 -
Frontal, lateral, and dorsal views of an adult perched on sage singing with others singing near by. Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp belli)
Don DesJardin 21 April 2009 4 years ago 1 min 1 sec 4.7 -
An adult bird singing on the top of a bush Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp belli)
Don DesJardin 31 May 2001 5 years ago 14 sec 4.7 -
An adult bird on the top of a bush Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp belli)
Don DesJardin 31 May 2001 5 years ago 15 sec 4.5 -
An adult individual singing Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp belli)
Don DesJardin 31 May 2001 5 years ago 14 sec 4.3
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territorial male
Locality Jawbone Canyon, Kern County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canescens)
Michael Retter 1 October 2006 3 years ago 3.5
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An adult male singing with others singing near by. Locality Ventura, Ventura County, California, USA (United States)
(ssp belli)
Don DesJardin 21 April 2009 19 weeks ago 5
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