Ammodramus is a genus of birds in the family Passerellidae, in the group known as American sparrows. Birds of this genus are known commonly as grassland sparrows.[1] The name Ammodramus is from the Greek for "sand runner".[2]
These birds live in grassland habitat. Some Ammodramus are socially monogamous and both parents care for the young. Other species are polygynous with no pair bonding and no paternal care.[3]
Several species have been included in this genus, but have been reclassified into the genera Ammospiza and Centronyx by sources such as Birdlife International and the American Ornithological Society.[4] Current species in this genus include:[1][5][6]
The fossil Ammodramus hatcheri (Late Miocene of Kansas, United States) was formerly placed in genus Palaeospiza or Palaeostruthus. The former may not be a passeriform at all, while the latter was eventually synonymized with Ammodramus, as A. hatcheri scarcely differs from the living species.[7]