Other Scientific Names
Aimophila carpalis [Stotz et al. (1996)], Aimophila carpalis [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Aimophila carpalis [BirdLife International (2004, 2008)]
Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) [XC437544]
by Paul Marvin from Calle Lecho, Green Valley, Pima County, Arizona, United States (song)
Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) [XC235051]
by Scott Olmstead from Catalina State Park site A16, Pima County, Arizona, United States (call, song)
Subspecies
Formerly placed in Aimophila, but molecular-genetic studies indicate that such treatment would make that genus polyphyletic. Various studies suggest that this species is part of a group that includes also Stripe-headed Sparrow (Peucaea ruficauda), Black-chested Sparrow (Peucaea humeralis), Bridled Sparrow (Peucaea mystacalis) and Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow (Peucaea sumichrasti), this group being sister to a clade containing Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii), Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) and Botteri's Sparrow (Peucaea botterii). Geographical variation largely clinal, and subspecies weakly differentiated; bangsi intergrades with nominate in north-central Sonora and with cohaerens in northern Sinaloa, and sometimes considered to be inseparable from latter. When species treated in same genus as Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) (e.g. both placed in Aimophila), subspecies bangsi of Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) has priority. In such a case, subspecies bangsi of present species assumes replacement name distinguenda.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
carpalis (Coues, 1873) - Extreme southern USA (south-central Arizona) and adjacent north-western Mexico (south to central Sonora).
bangsi (Moore, RT, 1932) - North-western Mexico (north-central Sonora south to northern Sinaloa).
cohaerens (Moore, RT, 1946) - Northern and central Sinaloa.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet