Olive Sparrow

Overview

The olive sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, known as a New World sparrow. It is a year-round resident found from Texas to Costa Rica, though its distribution is highly disjunct with ranges that do not always connect. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with a stable population of approximately 4.8 million mature individuals.

Identification

• Measures 12 to 14 cm in length and weighs between 15 and 30 g, with sexes sharing the same plumage.
• Nominally features a brown crown with a wide olive gray stripe, a broad buffy gray supercilium, and a thin brown line through the eye on a gray face.
• Upperparts are uniformly olive, while the underparts range from white to buffy white with buffy flanks and cinnamon or creamy buff undertail coverts.
• Possesses a reddish brown iris, a brownish pink bill with a darker base and tip, and pinkish to brownish pink legs and feet.

Habitat

The olive sparrow inhabits a variety of landscapes, including brushy open woodlands, chaparral, thorn forest, and the edges or understory of subtropical and tropical deciduous forests. Its range extends from southern Texas through eastern Mexico to the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, Guatemala, and into Costa Rica, with a highly disjunct distribution across subspecies. It is common in Texas and Mexico, fairly common in Belize, rare in Guatemala, and common in Costa Rica.

Diet

Although its diet has not been extensively studied, it is known to consume insects, spiders, seeds, and small amounts of fruit. The species forages mostly singly or in loose pairs, typically hopping on the ground or low in dense vegetation, though it occasionally feeds higher in trees.

Did you know?

The song of the male olive sparrow is often described as sounding like a metallic ball bouncing on a concrete floor. It consists of an accelerating series of somewhat musical, downslurred notes that usually drop in pitch at the end.