Savannah Sparrow
Arizona hosts a remarkable diversity of sparrows, particularly during migration and winter when species from across North America converge in the state’s varied habitats. The most widespread and familiar is the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), though it is an introduced species. Among the native sparrows, the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is a year-round resident along streams and wetlands, while the Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) and Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca) frequent rocky foothills and desert scrub. The Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) is perhaps the quintessential desert sparrow, with its striking black bib and white facial markings.
Grasslands and open country hold additional specialties, including the Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii), Botteri’s Sparrow (Peucaea botterii), Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis), Baird’s Sparrow (Centronyx bairdii), and the small Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is another widespread winter visitor, favoring open grasslands, fields, and agricultural edges across the state. In summer, Arizona also hosts scattered breeding populations of the Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), a striking black-and-white prairie sparrow that appears more commonly during migration through grasslands in the southeast and northeast.
Winter brings large flocks of White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) and also some Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla), joined by the smaller Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri), Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida), and Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina). The Black-chinned Sparrow (Spizella atrogularis), a chaparral breeder with a distinctive buzzy song, adds another dimension to Arizona’s sparrow community, though it is more often heard than seen. In shrubby habitats, the Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) is common, with its bold head pattern, while the Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) is a regular winter visitor to open fields.
Juncos add further variety to Arizona’s sparrow scene. The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), highly variable across its range, winters widely in woodlands, parks, and backyards. Several distinct forms occur in Arizona, including the Oregon, Pink-sided, Gray-headed, and Slate-colored types, giving birders a chance to study their plumage differences side by side. By contrast, the Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) is a striking resident of higher mountain forests in southeastern Arizona, particularly in the Sky Islands, where it lends a distinctively local flavor to the junco group.
Towhees are also well represented. Abert’s Towhee (Melozone aberti) is a characteristic bird of desert riparian corridors and dense brush across much of southern and central Arizona. The Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) is a striking migrant and winter visitor, most often found in brushy foothills, while the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a common year-round resident of thickets, woodlands, and chaparral. The Five-striped Sparrow (Amphispiza quinquestriata) is a prized specialty of the southern canyons near the Mexican border.
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) and Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) appear in marshy areas during migration and winter, while the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) occurs mainly in the cooler months. Less common but noted are the Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis), White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Bell’s Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli), American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) and the striking Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula), mostly in winter.
This rich array of sparrows makes Arizona one of the best places in the United States to study this challenging yet rewarding group of birds, with nearly every major sparrow species of western North America represented somewhere in the state’s deserts, grasslands, canyons, mountains, and riparian corridors.