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 Yosemite National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Yosemite National Park
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Pipilo maculatus
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Passerella iliaca
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Spizella passerina
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Zonotrichia leucophrys
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Brewer's Sparrow
Spizella breweri
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 Yosemite National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Savannah Sparrow sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Savannah Sparrow in Yosemite National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Savannah Sparrow in Yosemite National Park in our monthly data.