Recently split (2013) from formerly conspecific Bell's Sparrow. Upperparts are light grayish brown, with fine dusky streaking. The tail is charcoal-gray to blackish with narrow white edges. The head and nape are medium ashy-gray. The face shows a white eye ring, large white supraloral spots, and a broad white submoustachial stripe above a narrow black malar streak. The underparts are mostly white with a dark spot on the breast with variably amounts of streaking and buffy wash on the flanks. Fresh basic-plumaged adults seem to show more buff on flanks than spring adults.Juvenile is gray-brown instead of gray on the head and the face pattern is much weaker. Underparts are crisply streaked, much like a juvenile Dark-eyed Junco. Similar Bell's Sparrow is darker on the head, browner and less streaked above, shows a warm buffy wash on the flanks, and lacks white outer tail feathers.

Length: 12 (cm) Wingspan: 21 (cm)

Voice:

Song is a series of tinkling notes: tic tic tseeeee ticka-seee.

Habitat:

Interior: sage steppe. Coastal: coastal chaparral.

Behavior:

Often runs on the ground with tail held upright.

Feeding:

Forages on or near the ground for seeds and small invertebrates.