Other Scientific Names
Aimophila botterii [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Aimophila botterii [Stotz et al. (1996)], Aimophila botterii [BirdLife International (2004, 2008)]
Botteri's Sparrow (Peucaea) [XC731937]
by Manuel Grosselet from San Pablo Etla, San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico (song)
Botteri's Sparrow (Peucaea botterii) [XC731936]
by Manuel Grosselet from San Pablo Etla, San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico (song)
Subspecies
Aimophila botterii (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) was provisionally split into Aimophila botterii and Aimophila petenica by Stotz et al. (1996) but this treatment has not been adopted, following SACC (2005).
Formerly placed in Aimophila, but molecular-genetic studies indicate that such treatment would make that genus polyphyletic. Closely related to Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) and Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis), all having aerial song displays. Molecular analyses suggest that this group is close to a clade consisting of Stripe-headed Sparrow (Peucaea ruficauda), Black-chested Sparrow (Peucaea humeralis), Bridled Sparrow (Peucaea mystacalis), Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow (Peucaea sumichrasti) and Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis). Southern subspecies petenica, vantynei, spadiconigrescens and vulcanica have in the past been considered to represent a separate species. Subspecies petenica intergrades with nominate in eastern Mexico (Veracruz). Some subspecies poorly differentiated, grading clinally into others; texana sometimes considered synonymous with arizonae. P
roposed subspecies tabascensis (described from southern Huimanguillo, in western Tabasco) included within petenica.
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
arizonae Ridgway, 1873 - Extreme southern USA in south-eastern Arizona (Cochise County) and south-western New Mexico, possibly also western Texas, and northern Mexico south to southern Sonora and northern Durango and discontinuously in northern and southern Coahuila. Non-breeding also to south-central Mexico (Morelos).
goldmani (Phillips, AR, 1943) - Western coast of Mexico from southern Sinaloa south to Nayarit.
mexicana (Lawrence, 1867) - Central highlands of Mexico from south-eastern Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí south to Colima, central Michoacán and Distrito Federal.
botterii (Sclater, 1858) - South-eastern and southern highlands of Mexico from southern San Luis Potosí south through Puebla and western Veracruz to central Guerrero, Oaxaca and western Chiapas.
petenica (Salvin, 1863) - Lowlands of south-eastern Mexico from east-central Veracruz (near city of Veracruz), Tabasco and eastern Chiapas east to northern Yucatán, northern Guatemala (Petén) and Belize. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Peten Sparrow (Aimophila petenica).
vantynei (Webster, JD, 1959) - Highlands of central Guatemala.
spadiconigrescens (Howell, TR, 1965) - Lowlands of northern Honduras and north-eastern Nicaragua.
vulcanica (Miller, W & Griscom, 1925) - Highlands of western Nicaragua and north-western Costa Rica.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet