Fox Sparrow

SCI Name:  Passerella iliaca
Protonym:  Fringilla iliaca Av.rar.icon.descr. fasc.2 p.37 pl.10
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Passerellidae / Passerella
Taxonomy Code:  foxspa
Type Locality:  North America [reference not verified] ; restricted to Quebec by Oberholser, 1946, Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., 36, p. 389.
Author:  Merrem
Publish Year:  1786
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

PASSERELLA
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Red Fox Sparrow P. iliaca) Mod. L. passerella  little sparrow  < dim. L. passer, passeris  sparrow (cf. L. passercula  little sparrow; Late L. passarella  little sparrow  < passar  sparrow); "Passerella, Sw.  Bill short and perfectly conic, thick at the base, and rather abruptly pointed at the tip, which is entire.  Culmen perfectly straight.  Both mandibles of equal thickness.  Wings moderate; the first quill shorter than the second, third, and fourth, which are the longest.  Tail moderate, broad, and nearly even.  Feet large, strong.  Middle toe longer than the tarsus; inner toe much shorter than the outer.  Claws long, slender, and but slightly curved; hinder claw as long as the toe.   America.    P. Iliaca.  Wilson, iii. 22. f. 4." (Swainson 1837); "Passerella Swainson, 1837, Class. Birds 2, p. 288. Type, by monotypy, Fringilla iliaca "Wilson" [= Merrem]." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 41).
Var. Passarella.
Synon. Spizelloides.

iliaca
Late L. iliacus  of the flanks  <  L. ilia, ilium  flanks, loins  < ile, ilis  flank.

SUBSPECIES

Fox Sparrow (Sooty)
SCI Name: Passerella iliaca [unalaschcensis Group]
PASSERELLA
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Red Fox Sparrow P. iliaca) Mod. L. passerella  little sparrow  < dim. L. passer, passeris  sparrow (cf. L. passercula  little sparrow; Late L. passarella  little sparrow  < passar  sparrow); "Passerella, Sw.  Bill short and perfectly conic, thick at the base, and rather abruptly pointed at the tip, which is entire.  Culmen perfectly straight.  Both mandibles of equal thickness.  Wings moderate; the first quill shorter than the second, third, and fourth, which are the longest.  Tail moderate, broad, and nearly even.  Feet large, strong.  Middle toe longer than the tarsus; inner toe much shorter than the outer.  Claws long, slender, and but slightly curved; hinder claw as long as the toe.   America.    P. Iliaca.  Wilson, iii. 22. f. 4." (Swainson 1837); "Passerella Swainson, 1837, Class. Birds 2, p. 288. Type, by monotypy, Fringilla iliaca "Wilson" [= Merrem]." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 41).
Var. Passarella.
Synon. Spizelloides.

Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed)
SCI Name: Passerella iliaca [megarhyncha Group]
PASSERELLA
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Red Fox Sparrow P. iliaca) Mod. L. passerella  little sparrow  < dim. L. passer, passeris  sparrow (cf. L. passercula  little sparrow; Late L. passarella  little sparrow  < passar  sparrow); "Passerella, Sw.  Bill short and perfectly conic, thick at the base, and rather abruptly pointed at the tip, which is entire.  Culmen perfectly straight.  Both mandibles of equal thickness.  Wings moderate; the first quill shorter than the second, third, and fourth, which are the longest.  Tail moderate, broad, and nearly even.  Feet large, strong.  Middle toe longer than the tarsus; inner toe much shorter than the outer.  Claws long, slender, and but slightly curved; hinder claw as long as the toe.   America.    P. Iliaca.  Wilson, iii. 22. f. 4." (Swainson 1837); "Passerella Swainson, 1837, Class. Birds 2, p. 288. Type, by monotypy, Fringilla iliaca "Wilson" [= Merrem]." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 41).
Var. Passarella.
Synon. Spizelloides.

Fox Sparrow (Slate-colored)
SCI Name: Passerella iliaca [schistacea Group]
PASSERELLA
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Red Fox Sparrow P. iliaca) Mod. L. passerella  little sparrow  < dim. L. passer, passeris  sparrow (cf. L. passercula  little sparrow; Late L. passarella  little sparrow  < passar  sparrow); "Passerella, Sw.  Bill short and perfectly conic, thick at the base, and rather abruptly pointed at the tip, which is entire.  Culmen perfectly straight.  Both mandibles of equal thickness.  Wings moderate; the first quill shorter than the second, third, and fourth, which are the longest.  Tail moderate, broad, and nearly even.  Feet large, strong.  Middle toe longer than the tarsus; inner toe much shorter than the outer.  Claws long, slender, and but slightly curved; hinder claw as long as the toe.   America.    P. Iliaca.  Wilson, iii. 22. f. 4." (Swainson 1837); "Passerella Swainson, 1837, Class. Birds 2, p. 288. Type, by monotypy, Fringilla iliaca "Wilson" [= Merrem]." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 41).
Var. Passarella.
Synon. Spizelloides.

Fox Sparrow (Red)
SCI Name: Passerella iliaca iliaca/zaboria
PASSERELLA
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Red Fox Sparrow P. iliaca) Mod. L. passerella  little sparrow  < dim. L. passer, passeris  sparrow (cf. L. passercula  little sparrow; Late L. passarella  little sparrow  < passar  sparrow); "Passerella, Sw.  Bill short and perfectly conic, thick at the base, and rather abruptly pointed at the tip, which is entire.  Culmen perfectly straight.  Both mandibles of equal thickness.  Wings moderate; the first quill shorter than the second, third, and fourth, which are the longest.  Tail moderate, broad, and nearly even.  Feet large, strong.  Middle toe longer than the tarsus; inner toe much shorter than the outer.  Claws long, slender, and but slightly curved; hinder claw as long as the toe.   America.    P. Iliaca.  Wilson, iii. 22. f. 4." (Swainson 1837); "Passerella Swainson, 1837, Class. Birds 2, p. 288. Type, by monotypy, Fringilla iliaca "Wilson" [= Merrem]." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 41).
Var. Passarella.
Synon. Spizelloides.