Worthen's Sparrow
Spizella wortheni
The Worthen's Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) is a legendary new world sparrow found only in Mexico, weighing about 12 g. Worthen's sparrow is a species of American sparrow that is endemic to northeastern Mexico.
About the Worthen's Sparrow
Worthen's sparrow is a species of American sparrow that is endemic to northeastern Mexico. It was first described by Robert Ridgway in 1884 and named for the American naturalist Charles K. Worthen. This small bird has been listed as endangered by the IUCN since 1994.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Spizella wortheni can range in length from 12.5 to 14 cm. It is identifiable by its distinctive head pattern. It has a grey head with a rufous crown, a brown postocular stripe and a pink bill. It has grey-brown upperparts, with dark brown streaks. It has a grey bottom, and dark brown wings and tail. Its wings are "edged paler, with broad whitish to pale buff wing-bar, buffy-rufous tertial and secondary edging, and greyish lesser coverts". Juveniles are characterized by brownish colouration of the head and chest, with dusky streaking on the head and dark brown streaking on the chest and flanks.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Worthen's Sparrow?
- Spizella wortheni can range in length from 12.5 to 14 cm. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Worthen's Sparrow?
- The Worthen's Sparrow is a tiny sized bird weighing about 12 g.
- Where can you see a Worthen's Sparrow?
- The Worthen's Sparrow is endemic to Mexico, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Worthen's Sparrow?
- The Worthen's Sparrow is most easily confused with the Black-chinned Sparrow, the Brewer's Sparrow and the Clay-colored Sparrow.
- Is the Worthen's Sparrow endangered?
- The Worthen's Sparrow is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Worthen's Sparrow for real
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