Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
Silhouette: Caleb M. Gordon · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasserellidae (New World Sparrows)
- GenusPasserculus
- SpeciesPasserculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrow)
About the Savannah Sparrow
The Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is a small New World sparrow that is the only member of the genus Passerculus. It is a widespread and abundant species that occupies open grassland habitats in North America.
Over most of its range it is migratory, breeding in Canada and the northern United States while wintering in Mexico and the southern United States. It is a sexually monomorphic species that is quite variable in appearance. Around 17 subspecies are currently recognised. These are divided into several groups, some of which have sometimes been considered as separate species.
The species name sandwichensis is Latin from Sandwich Sound (now Prince William Sound) in southern Alaska from where the first specimen was collected. The common name refers to Savannah, Georgia, where Alexander Wilson observed the species in 1811.
The Savannah sparrow was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the buntings in the genus Emberiza and coined the binomial name Emberiza sandwichensis. Gmelin based his text on the Sandwich bunting that had been... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Savannah Sparrow in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Tropical Mockingbird
Mimus gilvus
Bananaquit
Coereba flaveola
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Black Catbird
Melanoptila glabrirostris
Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Tiaris olivaceus
Palm Warbler
Setophaga palmarum
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Savannah Sparrow in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Savannah Sparrow sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Savannah Sparrow in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Savannah Sparrow in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park in our monthly data.