Striped Sparrow

Overview

The striped sparrow, Oriturus superciliosus, is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is endemic to Mexico and is the only member of its genus.

Identification

• Adults have a rufous crown with thin black streaks and a thin gray stripe along the middle, featuring blackish lores and ear coverts that form a 'mask' and a long wide white supercilium.
• Measures 16.5 to 18 cm long with a long rounded tail that is dark brown with buff-brown feather edges.
• Underparts are mostly pale grayish white, lightest on the throat and center of the belly, with a buffy wash on the flanks.
• Primary song is described as an 'ultra high rattle tit-tjtjtjtjtj...', and it emits a 'very high-pitched...sharp tink note' in series.

Habitat

The striped sparrow inhabits montane grasslands with scattered shrubs, pine forest, and pine-oak forest in the upper subtropical and temperate zones. It is found primarily in the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental and Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, with ranges extending to the southern Sierra Madre Oriental and specific areas in Oaxaca and Michoacán.

Diet

Feeding on the ground or above it in clumps of grass, the bird scratches through soil and leaves to expose food. Its diet consists primarily of seeds, especially those of grasses, with invertebrates added during the breeding season.

Did you know?

The striped sparrow is classified as a species restricted by habitat because it is adapted to specific graminoid ground cover associated with mountain forests. Its sedentary behaviour limits its dispersal capabilities, meaning it relies on a specific ecological niche to survive.