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). 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.