Taxonomy
The Le Conte’s Sparrow is a member of the Order Passerifomes, which are the perching birds, sometimes less accurately referred to as the songbirds. It is from the Family Emberizidae, which is characterized by species of small birds with bills adapted to seed eating. Most members of this family are referred to as Sparrows in North America and as Buntings in Europe. Within the sparrows, the Le Conte’s falls within the Genus Ammodramus, which are the ground loving sparrows, which prefer staying in tall, thick grasses to perching on trees. All of the species for which the Le Conte’s is most easily confused (Nelson’s Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, etc.) belong to this Genus.
The Le Conte’s Sparrow was discovered by John James Audubon, and it was thought that he named this bird after a friend, Doctor Le Conte. It is generally believed that he meant John Lawrence Le Conte, although some feel that he was referring to another John Le Conte, also a doctor, and John Lawrence's cousin.
Read more about this topic: Le Conte's Sparrow