Editing LeConte's sparrow (section)

==Taxonomy==
LeConte's sparrow is a member of the [[Order (biology)|order]] [[Passerine|Passerifomes]], which are the perching birds, sometimes less accurately referred to as the [[songbird]]s. It is from the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Passerellidae]], which is characterized by species of small birds with bills adapted to seed eating.  LeConte's sparrow was placed in the genus ''Ammodramus'' in the past and a molecular phylogeny of the related groups identified that genus as being polyphyletic and recommended the group to be split up. This species falls within the [[genus]] ''[[Ammospiza]]'' clade which includes ''A. maritimus'', ''A. nelsoni'', and ''A. caudacutus'',<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Klicka|first1=John|last2=Keith Barker|first2=F.|last3=Burns|first3=Kevin J.|last4=Lanyon|first4=Scott M.|last5=Lovette|first5=Irby J.|last6=Chaves|first6=Jaime A.|last7=Bryson|first7=Robert W.|date=2014|title=A comprehensive multilocus assessment of sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) relationships|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1055790314001535|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|language=en|volume=77|pages=177–182|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2014.04.025|pmid=24792084|bibcode=2014MolPE..77..177K |url-access=subscription}}</ref> which are the ground-loving sparrows that prefer staying in tall, thick grasses to perching on trees. There has been a recorded case of a LeConte's sparrow that [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridized]] with a Nelson's sparrow, in June 1949 in Ontario, Canada.<ref name="Audubon Encyclopedia"/>

LeConte's sparrow was first described by [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] in 1790 but only received a valid binomial name from [[John James Audubon]] in 1844. He wrote, "I have named this interesting species after my young friend Doctor Le Conte, son of Major Le Conte, so well known among naturalists, and who is, like his father, much attached to the study of natural history."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Audubon |first1=John James |title=Birds of America |date=1844 |page=338 |edition=Vol. 7}}</ref> It is generally believed that he meant [[John Lawrence LeConte]] (whose father had been an Army surveyor with the rank of major), although some feel that he was referring to another [[John LeConte]], also a doctor, and John Lawrence's cousin.{{cn|date=January 2023}}