American sparrow

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.

Spizellini

 * Genus Chondestes
 * Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus


 * Genus Calamospiza
 * Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys


 * Genus Amphispiza
 * Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata
 * Five-striped Sparrow, Amphispiza quinquestriata


 * Genus Spizella
 * Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
 * Clay-coloured Sparrow, Spizella pallida
 * Black-chinned Sparrow, Spizella atrogularis
 * Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla
 * Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella breweri
 * Worthen's Sparrow, Spizella wortheni

Ammodramini

 * Genus Rhynchospiza
 * Tumbes Sparrow, Rhynchospiza stolzmanni
 * Stripe-capped Sparrow, Rhynchospiza strigiceps


 * Genus Ammodramus
 * Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
 * Grassland Sparrow, Ammodramus humeralis
 * Yellow-browed Sparrow, Ammodramus aurifrons


 * Genus Arremonops
 * Olive Sparrow, Arremonops rufivirgatus
 * Green-backed Sparrow, Arremonops chloronotus
 * Black-striped Sparrow, Arremonops conirostris
 * Tocuyo Sparrow, Arremonops tocuyensis


 * Genus Peucaea
 * Rufous-winged Sparrow, Peucaea carpalis
 * Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, Peucaea sumichrasti
 * Botteri's Sparrow, Peucaea botterii
 * Cassin's Sparrow, Peucaea cassinii
 * Bachman's Sparrow, Peucaea aestivalis
 * Stripe-headed Sparrow, Peucaea ruficauda
 * Black-chested Sparrow, Peucaea humeralis
 * Bridled Sparrow, Peucaea mystacalis

Chlorospingini

 * Genus Oreothraupis
 * Tanager Finch, Oreothraupis arremonops


 * 'Genus Chlorospingus''
 * Short-billed Chlorospingus/ Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager, Chlorospingus parvirostris
 * Yellow-throated Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus flavigularis
 * Ashy-throated Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus canigularis
 * Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus pileatus
 * Wetmore's Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus wetmorei
 * White-fronted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus albifrons
 * Brown-headed Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
 * Dwight's Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus dwighti
 * Dusky-headed Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus postocularis
 * Dotted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus punctulatus
 * Common Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus venezuelanus
 * Buff-breasted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus cinereocephalus
 * Tacarcuna Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus tacarcunae
 * Pirre Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus inornatus
 * Yellow-breasted Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus flavopectus
 * Dusky Chlorospingus, Chlorospingus semifuscus

Now in Thraupidae: Yellow-green Bush-Tanager, "Chlorospingus" flavovirens

Arremonini

 * Genus Arremon
 * Sooty-faced Finch, Arremon crassirostris
 * Olive Finch, Arremon castaneiceps
 * Saffron-billed Sparrow, Arremon flavirostris
 * Pectoral Sparrow, Arremon taciturnus
 * Half-collared Sparrow, Arremon semitorquatus
 * Sao Francisco Sparrow, Arremon franciscanus
 * Black-capped Sparrow, Arremon abeillei
 * Orange-billed Sparrow, Arremon aurantiirostris
 * Golden-winged Sparrow, Arremon schlegeli
 * Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Arremon brunneinucha
 * Green-striped Brush-Finch, Arremon virenticeps
 * Costa Rican Brush-Finch, Arremon costaricensis
 * Grey-browed Brush-Finch, Arremon assimilis
 * Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch, Arremon basilicus
 * Perija Brush-Finch, Arremon perijanus
 * White-browed Brush-Finch, Arremon torquatus
 * Black-headed Brush-Finch, Arremon atricapillus
 * Caracas Brush-Finch, Arremon phaeopleurus
 * Paria Brush-Finch, Arremon phygas

Passerellini

 * Genus Passerella
 * American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea
 * Timberline Sparrow, Spizella breweri taverneri
 * Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca
 * Red Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) iliaca
 * Sooty Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) unalaschcensis
 * Slate-colored Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) schistacea
 * Thick-billed Fox Sparrow, Passerella (iliaca) megarhyncha


 * Genus Junco
 * Volcano Junco, Junco vulcani
 * Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
 * White-winged Junco, Junco (hyemalis) aikeni
 * Guadalupe Junco, Junco hyemalis insularis
 * Yellow-eyed Junco, Junco phaeonotus


 * Genus Zonotrichia
 * Rufous-collared Sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis
 * Harris's Sparrow, Zonotrichia querula
 * White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
 * White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
 * Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla

Passerculini

 * Genus Pooecetes
 * Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus


 * 'Genus Artemisiospiza''
 * Sage Sparrow, Artemisiospiza belli


 * Genus Ammospiza
 * Le Conte's Sparrow, Ammospiza leconteii
 * Seaside Sparrow, Ammospiza maritimus
 * Dusky Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens (extinct, 1987)
 * Nelson's Sparrow, Ammospiza nelsoni
 * Saltmarsh Sparrow, Ammospiza caudacutus

Genus Oriturus
 * Striped Sparrow, Oriturus superciliosus

Genus Passerculus
 * Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
 * Ipswich Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis princeps
 * Large-billed Sparrow, Passerculus rostratus


 * Genus Centronyx
 * Baird's Sparrow, Centronyx bairdii


 * Genus Nemospiza
 * Henslow's Sparrow, Nemospiza henslowii


 * Genus Xenospiza
 * Sierra Madre Sparrow, Xenospiza baileyi


 * Genus Melospiza
 * Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
 * Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii
 * Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana

Pipilonini

 * 'Genus Pezopetes''
 * Large-footed Finch, Pezopetes capitalis


 * Genus Torreornis
 * Zapata Sparrow, Torreornis inexpectata


 * Genus Kieneria
 * Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow, Kieneria kieneri
 * Canyon Towhee, Kieneria fuscus
 * White-throated Towhee, Kieneria albicollis
 * California Towhee, Kieneria crissalis
 * Abert's Towhee, Kieneria aberti


 * Genus Melozone
 * White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Melozone leucotis
 * Prevost's Ground-Sparrow, Melozone biarcuatum


 * Genus Aimophila
 * Rusty Sparrow, Aimophila rufescens
 * Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps
 * Oaxaca Sparrow, Aimophila notosticta


 * Genus Pipilo
 * Collared Towhee, Pipilo ocai
 * Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus
 * Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
 * Olive-backed Towhee, Pipilo maculatus macronyx
 * Socorro Towhee, Pipilo socorroensis
 * Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus


 * Genus Pseliophorus
 * Yellow-thighed Finch, Pselliophorus tibialis
 * Yellow-green Finch, Pselliophorus luteoviridis


 * Genus Atlapetes
 * Moustached Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albofrenatus
 * Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch, Atlapetes semirufus
 * Tepui Brush-Finch, Atlapetes personatus
 * White-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albinucha
 * Santa Marta Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanocephalus
 * Pale-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pallidinucha
 * Rufous-capped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pileatus
 * Yellow-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes flaviceps
 * Dusky-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes fuscoolivaceus
 * Tricoloured Brush-Finch, Atlapetes tricolor
 * White-rimmed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes leucopis
 * Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch/Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes latinuchus
 * Antioquia Brush-Finch, Atlapetes blancae
 * Rufous-eared Brush-Finch, Atlapetes rufigenis
 * Apurimac Brush-Finch, Atlapetes forbesi
 * Black-spectacled Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanopsis
 * Slaty Brush-Finch, Atlapetes schistaceus
 * White-winged Brush-Finch, Atlapetes leucopterus
 * White-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes albiceps
 * Pale-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes pallidiceps
 * Bay-crowned Brush-Finch, Atlapetes seebohmi
 * Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch, Atlapetes nationi
 * Cuzco Brush-Finch, Atlapetes canigenis
 * Vilcabamba Brush-Finch, Atlapetes terborghi
 * Black-faced Brush-Finch/Grey-eared Brush-Finch, Atlapetes melanolaemus
 * Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes rufinucha
 * Fulvous-headed Brush-Finch, Atlapetes fulviceps
 * Yellow-striped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes citrinellus