Worthen's Sparrow

Overview

Worthen's sparrow (Spizella wortheni) is a small American sparrow species endemic to northeastern Mexico. It was first described by Robert Ridgway in 1884 and named after the naturalist Charles K. Worthen. The species has been classified as endangered by the IUCN since 1994.

Identification

• A small bird measuring 12.5 to 14 cm in length with a distinctive head pattern featuring a grey head, rufous crown, and brown postocular stripe.
• Possesses a pink bill, grey-brown upperparts with dark brown streaks, a grey underside, and dark brown wings and tail.
• Wings feature broad whitish to pale buff wing-bars and buffy-rufous edging on the tertials and secondaries.
• Song consists of a dry, chipping trill lasting two to three seconds, described as a cross between that of the field sparrow and the chipping sparrow.

Habitat

This species is confined to open, arid shrub-grasslands at elevations of 1,200 to 2,450 m in northeastern Mexico. Its current range is limited to an area of 25 km² stretching from southeastern Coahuila to western Nuevo León. It prefers open areas with low grasses for foraging and low, dense shrubs for nesting and cover.

Did you know?

Although generally non-migratory and restricted to a small area in Mexico, a single individual was identified in the United States near Silver City, New Mexico, in 1884. This bird, shot by Rieber, served as the type specimen for the species' scientific description.