Botteri's Sparrow

Botteri's Sparrow

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A plain sparrow of Mexican grasslands, Botteri's Sparrow reaches the northern limits of its range in southeastern Arizona and southern Texas. The species shows a strong affinity for tall grasses in semidesert areas and coastal prairie.

Description

• Medium-sized sparrow.
• Very plain overall.
• Plain buff-gray breast and sides.
• Streaked blackish gray or brownish gray upperparts.

• Size: 15-17 cm (6-7 in)
• Wingspan: 22 cm (9 in)
• Weight: 17-26 g (0.6-0.92 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Song begins with several short notes, followed by an accelerating trill, similar in rhythm to a ping-pong ball bouncing and then coming to rest. Calls include various chips, chitters, and churring sounds.

Conservation Status

Population of Arizona subspecies of Botteri's Sparrow appears stable. Similarly, prospects are rather good for Botteri's Sparrow in Texas, since most breeding habitat there is now protected. In Mexico, however, degradation of coastal prairie habitat has led to a very poor outlook for the species in these areas.

Other Names

Bruant de Botteri (French)
Gorrión de Botteri, Zacatonero de Botteri, Sabanero pechianteado (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Botteri's Sparrow was much more widespread in Arizona in the early and middle 19th century than it is now. Loss of grasslands and possibly natural cycles are probably responsible for the decline. The species was not recorded at all in Arizona from 1903 to 1932.
• Up to nine subspecies of Botteri's Sparrow are recognized by taxonomists. In the United States, the birds found in Arizona and New Mexico have brownish gray backs, while the ones found in Texas are more pale blackish gray.

Sources used to construct this page:

Webb, E. A., and C. E. Bock. 1997. Botteri's Sparrow (Aimophila botterii). In The Birds of North America, No. 216 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.