Order
Passeriformes
Family
Passerellidae
Genus
Xenospiza
 
Neotropical Birds logo
Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Sierra Madre Sparrow Xenospiza baileyi

Michael Gallegos
Version: 1.0 — Published June 20, 2014

Distribution

Distribution in the Americas

Sierra Madre Sparrow is a resident Mexican endemic. Its historical distribution was the high elevation regions of the Transvolcanic Belt (TVB) of central Mexico and the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) in northwestern Mexico. Currently the species is restricted to two areas in the TVB near Mexico City (La Cima, and Milpa Alta in the Distrito Federal), and a single small population in the SMO in Durango (Ejido Ojo de Agua El Cazador); these two populations are separated by more than 800 km (Oliveras de Ita et al. 2012). The very small population in Durango only recently was re-discovered in 2004; searches in northern Jalisco and southwestern Zacatecas were not successful (Oliveras de Ita and Rojas-Soto 2006). Recently developed ecological niche models based on known distributions, however, suggest additional possible locations for the northern population, and suggest a need for further searches for additional sites (Rojas-Soto et al. 2008).

The elevational range of Sierra Madre Sparrow is 2400-3050 m (Parker et al. 1996).

Distribution outside the Americas

Endemic to the Americas.

Habitat

Sierra Madre Sparrow inhabits subalpine bunchgrass meadows in montane regions (Oliveras de Ita et al. 2012). This species typically inhabits bunchgrass areas dominated by Festuca, Muhlenbergia, and Stipa spp. that are located in flat valley bottoms with interspersed park-like stands of Montezuma Pine (Pinus montezumae) on the surrounding ridges and knolls (Dickerman et al. 1967, Oliveras de Ita et al. 2012). The semi-open bunchgrass is 1 m in height with flowering spikes taller than 2 m; there are very few shrubs and trees in the grassland areas (Cabrera-García et al. 2006). The greatest abundance and highest densities of Sierra Madre Sparrows have been found in two bunchgrass communities: the Festuca lugens-Muhlenbergia quadridentata community, and the Stipa ichu community. Sparrows avoid sites with intensive grazing (Cabrera-García et al. 2006).  Sierra Madre Sparrow uses surrounding pine habitat on ridges and knolls as feeding areas throughout the year (Oliveras de Ita et al. 2001). The pine forests and cultivated areas surrounding its bunchgrass habitat appear to function as barriers to dispersal for this species (Oliveras de Ita et al. 2012).

These subalpine grasslands are primarily communally owned and managed (locally known as ejidos). Grasslands are traditionally burned to improve forage for livestock (cows and sheep) (Cabrera-García et al. 2006). Oliveras de Ita et al. (2001) observed that bunchgrass habitat immediately following a burn is too sparse to support Sierra Madre Sparrow territories, but that it regenerates swiftly and is used by Sierra Madre Sparrows within two years. This suggests that the species can benefit from management actions, intended to maintain or even expand the area occupied by bunchgrass. These include controlled burns of grassland prior to the breeding and reproductive season (Oliveras de Ita and Gómez de Silva 2007).

Historical changes

Sierra Madre Sparrow has experienced a severe reduction in its historical range due to habitat destruction, with population extinctions in Jalisco, Durango, and México (Oliveras de Ita et al. 2012). This sparrow has not been detected in Jalisco since it first was collected there in 1889. Its range in Durango also has contracted greatly (Oliveras de Ita and Rojas-Soto 2006, Rojas-Soto et al. 2008).

Fossil history

None reported.

Distribution of the Sierra Madre Sparrow - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Sierra Madre Sparrow

Recommended Citation

Gallegos, M. (2014). Sierra Madre Sparrow (Xenospiza baileyi), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.simspa1.01