Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bell’s Sparrow
Artemisiospiza belli
Bell's Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bell’s Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 17 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Artemisiospiza
- Species belli
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bell’s Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Bell’s Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Bell’s Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA to Baja California.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 6.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 172,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bell’s Sparrow?
The Bell’s Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 17 g.
Where does the Bell’s Sparrow live?
The Bell’s Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA to Baja California, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Bell’s Sparrow belong to?
The Bell’s Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Bell’s Sparrow eat?
The Bell’s Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Bell’s Sparrow migrate?
The Bell’s Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Bell’s Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Bell’s Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Bell’s Sparrow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Bell’s Sparrow's range?
The Bell’s Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 172,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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