Black-throated Sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata
- 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 →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Abert's Towhee
Melozone aberti
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Peucaea carpalis
Lark Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Canyon Towhee
Melozone fusca
Brewer's Sparrow
Spizella breweri
Green-tailed Towhee
Pipilo chlorurus
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
Harris's Sparrow
Zonotrichia querula
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-throated Sparrow in Saguaro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-throated Sparrow sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 14,991 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-throated Sparrow in Saguaro National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Black-throated Sparrow in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.