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From: dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Sparrow classification (was Re: Bluebird Comments)
Message-ID: <71984@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Date: 19 Apr 91 22:54:19 GMT
References: <1991Apr19.133714.24381@cbnewsc.att.com> <1991Apr19.154930.15917@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu>
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In article <1991Apr19.154930.15917@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) writes:
>In article <1991Apr19.133714.24381@cbnewsc.att.com> joi@iwtdv.att.com (joy.m.metcalf) writes:
>>I've never heard of sparrows being called finches before.  Are they
>>in the same family?  Aren't house sparrows often called "English sparrows"?
>>
>The classification of house sparrows is (Ithink) still uncertain, but
>I think the powers that be are sure they are not sparrows.  As my
>father (who grew up in England) says though, the word "sparrow" was
>INVENTED for the English House Sparrow!  So we shoulc rename all
>the sparrows instead...

In fact, the 'House Sparrow', Passer domesticus, is the original sparrow.
Some other species in Europe, such as (European) Tree Sparrow, and Rock
Sparrow, are in the same family, Plocidae I believe.  Some other 'Sparrows'
in Africa and Asia are in that family.  As are all the 'weaver finches' of
Africa (hence the sparrows==weaver_finches claim).

The new world birds that we call 'sparrow' are in a different family,
Emberizidae, which now also includes the wood warblers (Parulinae),
the orioles and blackbirds (Icterinae), the tanagers, honeycreepers,
bananquits, etc.  In old-world terminology, our 'sparrows' should be
called 'Buntings'.  Following the trend of Common Moorhen, American
Kestrel, and Northern Harrier, we might see in the next decade
'White-crowned Bunting', 'Chipping Bunting', etc.

David Mark
dmark@sun.acsu.buffalo.edu