Members of this diverse group make up more than half of the bird species worldwide. Most are small. However their brains are relatively large and their learning abilities are greater than those of most other birds. Passerine birds are divided into two suborders, the suboscines and the oscines. Oscines are capable of more complex song, and are considered the true songbirds. In Washington, the tyrant flycatchers are the only suboscines; the remaining 27 families are oscines.
The Emberizidae family is made up of the New World sparrows, longspurs, and some of the buntings. Most forage and nest on the ground. Most emberizids are seedeaters and have short, thick bills adapted for this diet, although they all eat insects and other arthropods at times, and feed them to their young. They are typically monogamous. Females generally build the nests and incubate the eggs and young, but both parents feed the young. Clutches are small, generally three to five eggs. Many of these birds are small, brown, and streaked, and stay close to cover, making identification challenging.
Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurus
Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus
American Tree SparrowSpizella arborea
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallida
Brewer's SparrowSpizella breweri
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
Black-throated SparrowAmphispiza bilineata
Sage SparrowAmphispiza belli
Lark BuntingCalamospiza melanocorys
Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
Le Conte's SparrowAmmodramus leconteii
Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca
Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgiana
White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
Harris's SparrowZonotrichia querula
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla
Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
Chestnut-collared LongspurCalcarius ornatus
Rustic BuntingEmberiza rustica
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
McKay's BuntingPlectrophenax hyperboreus