Bell's Sparrow

The Bell's Sparrow is a small, dark-toned sparrow closely tied to shrubby habitats of California, including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and interior desert saltbush flats. It was combined with the Sagebrush Sparrow under the name Sage Sparrow until the two were split into separate species in 2013 based on differences in plumage, voice, and genetics.

Compared to its Great Basin relative, the Bell's Sparrow is generally darker overall, with a darker gray head, a less strongly contrasting white eye-ring, a more solidly dark malar (whisker) stripe, and a smaller, less distinct central breast spot. Like the Sagebrush Sparrow, it has a long tail frequently cocked while running across open ground.

The species includes several subspecies that differ somewhat in color intensity, from the darker coastal sage scrub birds of southern California to paler interior desert populations.

Key Field Marks

• Darker gray head compared to Sagebrush Sparrow
• Less contrasting, thinner white eye-ring
• More solidly dark malar (whisker) stripe
• Smaller, less distinct central breast spot
• Long tail, often cocked while running

Similar Species

• Sagebrush Sparrow: paler overall, with a more contrasting eye-ring and a larger, bolder central breast spot; found in the Great Basin rather than California scrub habitats, with limited range overlap

Range and habitat are useful clues: Bell's Sparrow is largely restricted to California (and northern Baja California) scrub habitats, while Sagebrush Sparrow occupies the Great Basin sagebrush steppe farther east.

Bell's Sparrow occupies a range of shrubby California habitats, including coastal sage scrub and chaparral along the coast and foothills of central and southern California, as well as desert saltbush scrub in the interior, such as the San Joaquin Valley and parts of the Mojave Desert. The species also occurs in northern Baja California, Mexico.

Many populations are resident year-round, though some interior and higher-elevation birds may shift to lower elevations in winter. Habitat loss from urban development and agricultural conversion, particularly of coastal sage scrub, has reduced available habitat in parts of its range.

Behavior

Bell's Sparrows forage on the ground, running between shrubs with a cocked tail, and tend to dive into dense cover rather than fly far when disturbed.

Voice

The song is a sweet, jumbled, tinkling warble similar to that of the Sagebrush Sparrow, delivered from an exposed perch atop a shrub.

Feeding

Diet consists of insects and seeds gathered from the ground and shrub foliage.

Nesting and Breeding

Nests are built low in dense shrubs, a sturdy cup of twigs and grasses lined with finer material. Clutches typically contain 2-4 pale bluish eggs with dark spotting.