Bell's Sparrow
Artemisiospiza belli
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasserellidae (New World Sparrows)
- GenusArtemisiospiza (Sage Sparrows)
- SpeciesArtemisiospiza belli (Bell's Sparrow)
About the Bell's Sparrow
Bell's sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found in Mexico and the United States. Bell's sparrow has a complicated taxonomic history. It was formally described in 1850 with the binomial Emberiza belli. Its specific epithet and later English name honor John Graham Bell, who discovered and collected the lectotype. Bell's sparrow was later reassigned to genus Amphispiza that was erected in 1874 and was also given the English name "sage sparrow". In 2007 the new genus Artemisiospiza was suggested for the sage sparrow and in 2011 it was formally erected. Taxonomic systems began adopting the new assignment in 2012.
The further taxonomy of Bell's sparrow is unsettled. The IOC and AviList assign it these three subspecies: A. b. canescens (Grinnell, 1905) A. b. belli (Cassin, 1850) A. b. cinerea (Townsend, 1890) As of late 2025 the Clements taxonomy and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) assign a fourth subspecies, A. b. clementeae (Ridgway, 1898) that the others include in A. b. belli.
What is now the sagebrush sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) was originally... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Bell's Sparrow in Death Valley National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Death Valley National Park
Sagebrush Sparrow
Artemisiospiza nevadensis
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
Black-throated Sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Brewer's Sparrow
Spizella breweri
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Green-tailed Towhee
Pipilo chlorurus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bell's Sparrow in Death Valley National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Bell's Sparrow sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 561 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bell's Sparrow in Death Valley National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Bell's Sparrow in Death Valley National Park in our monthly data.