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Melospiza melodia graminea

C.H. Townsend, 1890

Channel Island Song Sparrow

T1T1 (G5T1) Found in 102 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
T1T1Global Rank
Santa Barbara Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia graminea). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.820723
Element CodeABPBXA301C
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSubspecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyPasserellidae
GenusMelospiza
Synonyms
Melospiza melodia graminea, sensuC.H. Townsend, 1890
Concept Reference
Patten, M.A. 2001. The roles of habitat and signalling in speciation: evidence from a contact zone of two Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) subspecies. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Riverside.
Taxonomic Comments
Traditionally, the Song Sparrow populations of the Channel Islands have been delineated into three subspecies: M. m. clementae on Santa Rosa and San Clemente islands, M. m. micronyx on San Miguel Island and the extinct M. m. graminea on Santa Barbara Island (AOU, 1957). However, all three subspecies were merged by Patten (2001) into a single subspecies, M. m.graminea.
Conservation Status
Review Date2010-05-26
Change Date2010-05-26
Range Extent Comments
Restricted to San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands, and formerly to Santa Barbara (up to the 1960s) and San Clemente islands (up to 1973). Song Sparrows on Santa Cruz Island are intermediate between adjacent mainland heermanni and island graminea. Song Sparrows of one or more mainland subspecies occur as occasional migrants to the Channel Islands.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Occurs in many different habitat types, most often inhabiting shrubs on moist ground near freshwater, saltwater or coastline. On San Miguel the song sparrow has been found to be most abundant in areas with dense shrubs, and unlike on the mainland, were found in areas well-removed from water, perhaps due to the availability of considerable fog-moisture on San Miguel. Song sparrow use of Santa Rosa habitats was also not tied to water availability. Song sparrows utilized riparian areas but did not prefer them. They strongly selected for coastal sage scrub and grassland, while avoiding chaparral, woodland and pine habitat types.
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS1Yes
Roadless Areas (102)
California (102)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Big RocksLos Padres National Forest11,866
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
BriscoeMendocino National Forest7,212
Cactus Springs ASan Bernardino National Forest53
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Cahuilla MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,952
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Deer MountainMendocino National Forest11,716
Dennison PeakSequoia National Forest6,293
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
DiableLos Padres National Forest19,597
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Garcia MountainLos Padres National Forest7,850
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
GrindstoneMendocino National Forest26,031
Heartbreak RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest4,455
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
Horseshoe SpringsLos Padres National Forest14,089
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
La BreaLos Padres National Forest14,031
La PanzaLos Padres National Forest4,954
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
Los Machos HillsLos Padres National Forest11,112
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Machesna MountainLos Padres National Forest12,271
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
ManzanaLos Padres National Forest2,101
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill CreekLassen National Forest7,587
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
Mirada PimeLos Padres National Forest13,302
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
Oat Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,223
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Raywood Flat ASan Bernardino National Forest41
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Reister CanyonMendocino National Forest5,897
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San Mateo CanyonCleveland National Forest65
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
Stanley MountainLos Padres National Forest14,674
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
SugarloafSan Bernardino National Forest8,206
Sycamore SpringsSierra National Forest10,015
Tepusquet PeakLos Padres National Forest5,821
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Thomes CreekMendocino National Forest16,616
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
West ForkAngeles National Forest1,169
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
References (5)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1957. The AOU check-list of North American birds, 5th ed. Port City Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD. 691 pp.
  2. Collins, P.W. 2008. Channel Island Song Sparrow (<i>Melospiza melodia graminea</i>). Pages 425-431 in W.D. Shuford, and T. Gardali, editors. California Bird Species of Special Concern: A ranked assessment of species, subspecies, and distinct populations of birds of immediate conservation concern in California. Studies of Western Birds 1. Western Field Ornithologists, Camarillo, California, and California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  3. Humple, D. and G. R. Geupel. 2004. Song Sparrow (<i>Melospiza melodia</i>). <i>In</i> The Riparian Bird Conservation Plan: a strategy for reversing the decline of riparian-associated birds in California. California Partners in Flight. Online. Available: http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/riparian_v-2.html
  4. Patten, M.A. 2001. The roles of habitat and signalling in speciation: evidence from a contact zone of two Song Sparrow (<i>Melospiza melodia</i>) subspecies. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Riverside.
  5. Shuford, W. D., and T. Gardali, editors. 2008. California bird species of special concern: a ranked assessment of species, subspecies, and distinct populations of birds of immediate conservation concern in California. Studies of Western Birds 1. Western Field Ornithologists, Camarillo, California, and California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.