Melospiza is a genus of passerine birds formerly placed in the family Emberizidae, but now placed in Passerellidae. The genus, commonly referred to as "song sparrows," currently contains three species, all of which are native to North America.
| Melospiza | |
|---|---|
| |
| Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | |
| |
| Swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Passerellidae |
| Genus: | Melospiza Baird, 1858 |
| Type species | |
| Fringilla melodia[1] A. Wilson, 1810
| |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Members of Melospiza are medium-sized sparrows with long tails, which are pumped in flight and held moderately high on perching. They are not seen in flocks, but as a few individuals or solitary. They prefer brushy habitats, often near water.
Species of Melospiza
edit| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln's sparrow
|
Melospiza lincolnii (Audubon, 1834) Three subspecies
|
Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern and western United States
|
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Song sparrow
|
Melospiza melodia (Wilson, 1810) |
Canada and the United States.
|
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Swamp sparrow
|
Melospiza georgiana (Latham, 1790) |
eastern North America and central Canada
|
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Passerellidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.