What is Emberizidae?
Q: What is Emberizidae?
A: Emberizidae is a large family of passerine birds that are seed-eating birds with a finch-like bill.
Q: What are the common names for Emberizidae in the Old World and New World?
A: Emberizidae are typically known as buntings in the Old World and American sparrows in the New World.
Q: Are Emberizidae closely related to sparrows?
A: No, Emberizidae are not closely related to the (Old World) sparrows, the family Passeridae.
Q: Which North American birds are part of the Emberizidae family?
A: The Emberizidae family includes North American birds known as juncos and towhees.
Q: Where did the Emberizidae family probably originate?
A: The Emberizidae family probably originated in South America.
Q: Why are there few Emberizidae species in Europe and Africa compared to the Americas?
A: The family probably spread first into North America before crossing into eastern Asia and continuing to move west, which explains the comparative paucity of emberizid species in Europe and Africa when compared to the Americas.
Q: What is the current state of taxonomy for Emberizidae?
A: Like with several other passerine families, the family's taxonomy is in a state of flux. Many genera in South and Central America are more closely related to tanager clades, and at least one tanager genus (Chlorospingus) may belong here in the Emberizidae.
