Kingdom Animalia Class Aves Family Emberizidae | Phylum Chordata Order Passeriformes | |
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Representative species Song sparrow, White‑crowned sparrow, White‑throated sparrow, Chipping sparrow, Dark‑eyed junco | ||
American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns.
Although they share the name sparrow, American sparrows are more closely related to Old World buntings (which are also in the family Emberizidae) than they are to the Old World sparrows (family Passeridae). American sparrows are also similar in both appearance and habit to finches, with which they sometimes used to be classified.
Species in taxonomic order
Genus Arremon (approx 20 species)
Genus Arremonops
Genus Melozone
Genus Pipilo
Genus Peucaea
Genus Aimophila
Genus Oriturus
Genus Torreornis
Genus Spizelloides
Genus Spizella
Genus Pooecetes
Genus Chondestes
Genus Amphispiza
Genus Artemisiospiza
Genus Calamospiza
Genus Passerculus
Genus Ammodramus
Genus Passerella
Genus Xenospiza
Genus Melospiza
Genus Zonotrichia
Genus Junco