Black-throated Sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasserellidae (New World Sparrows)
- GenusAmphispiza
- SpeciesAmphispiza bilineata (Black-throated Sparrow)
About the Black-throated Sparrow
The black-throated sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found in Mexico and the United States. The black-throated sparrow was formally described in 1850 with the binomial Emberiza bilineata. Elliott Coues erected the new genus Amphispiza in 1874 with the black-throated sparrow as the type species.
Several other species including the five-striped sparrow (Amphispizopsis quinquestriata) and what are now Bell's sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) and the sagebrush sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) were previously also assigned to Amphispiza. These reassignments left the black-throated sparrow as the only member of the genus. They were adopted by the American Ornithological Society (AOS), the IOC, the Clements taxonomy, and AviList. However, as of late 2025 BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) retains the five-striped sparrow in Amphispiza with the black-throated.
The black-throated sparrow's further taxonomy is unresolved. The IOC, AviList, and HBW assign it these nine subspecies: The Clements taxonomy adds a tenth subspecies, A. b. carmenae (Van Rossem,... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black-throated Sparrow in Big Bend National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
Canyon Towhee
Melozone fusca
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Aimophila ruficeps
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Green-tailed Towhee
Pipilo chlorurus
Lark Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Brewer's Sparrow
Spizella breweri
Vesper Sparrow
Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Bunting
Calamospiza melanocorys
Clay-colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-throated Sparrow in Big Bend National Park?
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Black-throated Sparrow sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 3,105 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-throated Sparrow in Big Bend National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Black-throated Sparrow in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.