Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.7–5.9 in
12–15 cm - Weight
- 0.5–0.8 oz
15–22 g
Other Names
- Bell's Sparrow (part) (English)
- Bruant de Bell (French)
- Zacatonero de artemisa (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Five subspecies of Sage Sparrow are currently recognized. The three nonmigratory subspecies found in coastal California and Baja California were once collectively considered a separate species, "Bell's Sparrow."
Habitat
Scrub
Chaparral, sagebrush, and other open habitat with shrubs.
Food
Insects
Grass seeds and insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 2–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Pale blue, with variable markings.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with sparse down.
Nest Description
An open cup of twigs and grasses, placed in or under shrubs.
Nest Placement
Shrub
Behavior
Ground Forager
Forages primarily on the ground.
Conservation
Least Concern
Populations appear stable across most of range. Clearing of sagebrush habitat for grazing has probably had a significant negative effect. The Californian subspecies belli is listed as Species of Special Concern in California, and the subspecies clementeae of the California Channel Islands is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as Threatened.
Credits
- Martin, J. W., and B. A. Carlson. 1998. Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli). In The Birds of North America, No. 326 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.