Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow

Melozone kieneri

Least ConcernRareEndemicOmnivoreShrublandCup nestSmall · 39 g

About the Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow

The rusty-crowned ground sparrow is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is endemic to Mexico.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

The rusty-crowned ground sparrow is 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 35 to 41 g (1.2 to 1.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a dusky black forecrown and a rufous crown; the rufous continues around behind the dusky black ear coverts and then forward under them. They have white lores and a broken white eye-ring. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are brown. Their underparts are mostly white with a black spot in the center of the breast, brown flanks, and rufescent undertail coverts. Voice: The rusty-crowned ground sparrow's song is a "very high simple calm unstructured tjitit-tjitit-tutututut". It also makes "a high, thin, slightly wiry lisping dzzzzzzzziu or ssssssziu, a high, thin ti, often doubled, and high, sharp chips, tk or tsik".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it lives

Regular range

When to see it

Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Learn the Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow for real

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