A longer bill and lighter ju venal plum^e seem to 

 be the only characteristics that are reasonably 

 constant in separating it from the mainland race, 

 A. b. belli (van Rossem 1932, Grinnell and Miller 

 1944). 



RANGE 



These birds are permanent residents on and 

 confined to San Clemente Island about 80 km off 

 southwestern California (American Ornithologists' 

 Union 1957, Miller 1968). San Clemente is ap- 

 proximately 34 km long, 2.4 to 6.4 km wide, and 

 34 km from the nearest island, Santa Catalina, to 

 the north. A. b. clementae was thought to prob- 

 ably occur also on San Nicholas and Santa Rosa 

 Islands, although specimens from those islands 

 were never critically determined (Grinnell and 

 Miller 1944). 



RANGE MAP 



See map on following page. 



STATES/COUNTIES 



California: Los Angeles. 



HABITAT 



The San Clemente sage sparrow habitat con- 

 sists of xeric species of scrubby brush on mesas 

 (Howell 1917) and thorny brush growing in 

 clumps and patches interspersed with cactus 

 (Grinnell 1897). Frost is unknovm and conse- 

 quently vegetation was rank most of the year, 

 jdthough there was no fresh water on the island 

 (Breninger 1904). 



Topography is dominated by a plateau with 

 steeply sloping east side and gently sloping west 

 side, now covered with introduced grasses except 

 where it has been completely denuded by goats. 

 At present, trees and shrubs grow only on the 

 bottoms and sides of canyons. On the east side, 

 ironwood (Lynothamus), island oak (Quercus 

 tomentella), and lemonade bush {Rhus inter- 

 grifolia) are the most abundant species. West side 

 canyons are mostly denuded by livestock, but 

 have some growth of toyon (Heteromeles), lemon- 

 ade bush, and island cherry {Prunus ilicifolia lyonii) 

 (Stewart and Clow 1974). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



These birds forage on the ground or low in 



bushes, presumably for ^mall s.--ds and insects. 

 Miller (1968) saw a female of ^. b. belli on the 

 coast of California c u. /ing four green caterpillars 

 obviously intended for young birds. Since fresh- 

 water is very scarce or absent on San Clemente 

 (Breninger 1904), sage spa..jws must dej. end pri- 

 marily on dew or fog for drinking. 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Low scrubby brush is presumed to be the re- 

 quired shelter for /i. b. clementeae, by analogy to 

 the California coast subsf. jcies, A b. belli, v "ch 

 prefers dense and continuous brush within which 

 it finds all of its requirements (M.ller 1968). 



NESTING AND BEDDING 



These birds feed and nest among the bushes 

 of the hillsides, along with song sparrows (Brenin- 

 ger 1904). Nests are situated in scrubby brush a 

 few inches above the ground (Howell 1917). A 

 nest of A. b. belli was found on the mainland in 

 the fork of a heavy bush at practically ground 

 level. It was well made of weed stalks and lined 

 with fine weed stems and soft weed fibers (Miller 

 1968). 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



The sage sparrow presumably maintains and 

 defends breeding territory, proclaimed by the song 

 of the male, as in other related species of sparrows. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



None are known other than those noted else- 

 where. 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



Grinnell (1897) wrote that these sparrows 

 were quite common on hillsides and the lower 

 mesa where there was low thorny bush growing in 

 clumps and patches interspersed with cactus. 



Howell (1917) considered it "common" on 

 mesa lands back from the shore. 



It is now mostly confined to the lower west 

 terrace. On 3 May 1974, a total adult population 

 of between 20 and 30 individuals was estimated 

 in that area. No goats were seen in the area of ob- 

 servation, but feral swine were seen in two dif- 

 ferent localities (Stewart and Clow 1974). 



