Black-throated Sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata
Black-throated Sparrow observed along the David Yetman Trail in the Tucson Mountains, Pima Co., Arizona, USA, on 21 Feb. 2010.
A beautiful little bird that can sing beautifully too. Common throughout desert habitats of the southwestern United States and ranging into Mexico. The jet-black throat and two contrasting white facial stripes are distinctive.
Black-throated Sparrows are seed feeders as indicated by the conical, seed-cracking beak. They also take a lot of sprouting seeds that emerge in abundance after rains. Once there are nestlings that need to be fed these sparrows like a majority of song birds gather insects.