Amphispiza bilineata
The Black-throated Sparrow (*Amphispiza bilineata*) is a charismatic and iconic resident of North America's arid lands, instantly recognizable by its striking facial pattern. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm (5-6 inches) in length with a wingspan of 20-23 cm (8-9 inches) and weighing 11-16 grams (0.4-0.6 oz), this sparrow presents a neat, unstreaked appearance. Its most distinctive features include a slate-gray head, a crisp white supercilium that extends behind the eye, and a prominent black...
Primarily found in arid scrublands, deserts, and semi-deserts characterized by sparse vegetation such as creosote bush, mesquite, and cholla cactus, often at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,000 meters.
The diet consists primarily of insects during the breeding season, including caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles, supplemented by a variety of seeds from desert grasses and forbs, especially during the non-breeding months.
Black-throated Sparrows are diurnal, most active during the cooler parts of the morning and late afternoon, often seeking shade during midday heat. They are primarily ground foragers, hopping deliberately to glean insects and seeds, occasionally making short aerial sallies to catch flying insects...
The Black-throated Sparrow is widely distributed across the arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Its breeding range extends from central California, southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, south through Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua,...
Least Concern
- The Black-throated Sparrow is often called the 'Desert Canary' due to its distinctive, musical song, which is one of the iconic sounds of the American Southwest. - This species is remarkably adapted to arid environments and can often obtain all the water it needs from its food, rarely needing t...