Scientific Name: Amphispiza bilineata

Residency: Year-round in the southern half of Arizona. Resides in northern half of Arizona only during summer (breeding) season.

Diet: Insects, seeds, and leaf buds (new green shoots of trees, shrubs and grasses).

Predators:  Greater roadrunners, Coyote, Red Racer snake and Loggerhead Shrike prey upon nests.  Coachwhip snake, Loggerhead Shrike, and Prairie Falcon prey upon adults.

Nesting: The female builds the cup-shaped nest low in a cactus; made of dried grass and lined with finer plant materials. She lays 3-4 eggs per clutch; the eggs are pale blue to white, no markings. One to two broods per year.

Nesting Records:

Notes: Form small flocks in winter (up to 20 birds per flock), often with other sparrow species. Populations are declining owing to habitat loss to urban development.  

Photo: Photo was taken at the Watt Preserve.

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