Photo: Annika Lindqvist / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Worthen’s Sparrow
Spizella wortheni
Worthen's Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Worthen’s Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 12.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Spizella
- Species wortheni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.4 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 Worthen’s Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Worthen’s Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Worthen’s Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA n Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.4 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 6.3 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3,398 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Worthen’s Sparrow?
The Worthen’s Sparrow is a very small bird that weighs around 12.4 g.
Where does the Worthen’s Sparrow live?
The Worthen’s Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA n Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Worthen’s Sparrow belong to?
The Worthen’s Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Worthen’s Sparrow eat?
The Worthen’s Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Worthen’s Sparrow migrate?
The Worthen’s Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Worthen’s Sparrow endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Worthen’s Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Worthen’s Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Worthen’s Sparrow's range?
The Worthen’s Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 3,398 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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