Hybrid Spizella Sparrow Documented
After years of speculation, Andy Jones, Curator of Ornithology, and Courtney Brennan, Collections Manager of Zoology, alongside a team of fellow researchers, have confirmed the existence of a hybrid bird species between Field Sparrows (
Spizella pusilla) and Clay-colored Sparrows (
S. pallida).
The team was the first to document the hybrid species’ characteristics, such as its unique vocalizations, plumage appearance, and more. Their findings were published in the June 2019 issue of the
Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club.
The Museum is thrilled to have supported this discovery through the William A. & Nancy R. Klamm Endowment, which facilitated the team’s molecular work.
Publication
Jones, A. W., Boone, A. T., Brennan, C. L., Rodewald, P. G., & Kistler, E. (2019). Documentation of a hybrid Spizella sparrow using spectographic and genetic analysis. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club, 139(2), 105-110. doi:10.25226/bboc.v139i2.2019.a3