Rusty Sparrow
Aimophila rufescens
The Rusty Sparrow (Aimophila rufescens) is a uncommon new world sparrow found in 7 countries, weighing about 34 g. The rusty sparrow is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows.
About the Rusty Sparrow
The rusty sparrow is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found from Mexico to Costa Rica.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The rusty sparrow is 16.5 to 20 cm (6.5 to 7.9 in) long and weighs 34 to 48 g (1.2 to 1.7 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies A. r. rufescens have a chestnut crown with black streaks and a thin olive gray or buffy stripe in its middle. They have dark brown lores, a whitish streak above the lores, a white eye-ring, and a dusky stripe behind the eye on an otherwise olive grayish face. Their back and scapulars are brown with wide black streaks. Their wings are mostly brown with chestnut secondaries and inner greater coverts. Their tail is chestnut brown. Voice: In northern Central America the rusty sparrow sings "a rich, liquid cheet-cheet-swing-you! or sweet-sweet-to'you!. It also makes "an agitated, sputtering scold, seeeee!-peu'peu'peu'peu'peu'peu'peu...". In Costa Rica it sings "resolutely with a bright cheet, chee-chee-chee-chee yew". The species' calls include "a gruff, dry scolding chrrr-rrr-rrr or grrr-grr-grrr and tzee, chip, and tzeek.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Rusty Sparrow can be seen all year round, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rusty Sparrow?
- The rusty sparrow is 16.5 to 20 cm (6.5 to 7.9 in) long and weighs 34 to 48 g (1.2 to 1.7 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rusty Sparrow?
- The Rusty Sparrow is a small sized bird weighing about 34 g.
- Where can you see a Rusty Sparrow?
- The Rusty Sparrow occurs in 7 countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Nicaragua.
- What birds look similar to a Rusty Sparrow?
- The Rusty Sparrow is most easily confused with the Oaxaca Sparrow and the Rufous-crowned Sparrow.
- Is the Rusty Sparrow endangered?
- The Rusty Sparrow is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rusty Sparrow for real
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