Editing Vesper sparrow (section)

== Taxonomy ==
The vesper sparrow was [[Species description|formally described]] in 1789 by the German naturalist [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] in his revised and expanded edition of [[Carl Linnaeus]]'s ''[[Systema Naturae]]''. He placed it with the finches in the [[genus]] ''[[Fringilla]]'' and coined the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Fringilla graminea''. He gave the [[type locality (biology)|locality]] as New York.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gmelin | first=Johann Friedrich | author-link=Johann Friedrich Gmelin| year=1789 | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | edition=13th | volume=1, Part 2 | language=Latin | location=Lipsiae [Leipzig] | publisher=Georg. Emanuel. Beer | page=922 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2656417 }}</ref> Gmelin based his own description on those for the "grass finch" that had been described by [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] in 1783 and by [[Thomas Pennant]] in 1785.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Latham | first=John | author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) | year=1783 | title=A General Synopsis of Birds | volume=2, Part 1 | publisher=Printed for Leigh and Sotheby | location=London | page=273, n. 34 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33728263 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Pennant | first=Thomas | author-link=Thomas Pennant | year=1785 | title=Arctic Zoology | volume=2 | publisher=Printed by Henry Hughs | location=London | page=375, n. 253 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32122151 }}</ref> The vesper sparrow is now the only species placed in the genus ''Pooecetes'' that was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist [[Spencer Fullerton Baird|Spencer Baird]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Baird | first=Spencer F. | author-link=Spencer Fullerton Baird | year=1858 | title=Reports of explorations and surveys to ascertain the most practical and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean made under the direction of the secretary of war in 1853-1856 | volume=9 Birds | location=Washington | publisher=Beverly Tucker, printer | pages=[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11689164 xx], [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11689183 xxxix], [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11689639 439], [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11689647 447] }}</ref><ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=July 2023 | title=New World Sparrows, Bush Tanagers | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/sparrows/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ποα (''poa'') meaning "grass" with οικητης (''oikētēs)'' meaning "dweller". The specific epithet ''gramineus'' is [[Latin]] meaning "grassy" or "grass-like".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages=[https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n314/mode/1up 314], [https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n177/mode/1up 177]}}</ref>

Three [[subspecies]] are recognised.<ref name=ioc/>
* ''P. g. gramineus'' ([[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin, JF]], 1789) – breeds in southeast Canada to east USA
* ''P. g. confinis'' [[Spencer Fullerton Baird|Baird, SF]], 1858 – breeds in southwest Canada and central west USA
* ''P. g. affinis'' Miller, GS, 1888 – breeds in northwest USA