Rufous-winged Sparrow

Rufous-winged Sparrow

About the photographs

About the map

Play sound from this species

Menu

1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

Uncommon and sparsely distributed, the Rufous-winged Sparrow resides in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. It times its nesting attempts with the onset of the summer rains.

Description

• Small sparrow.
• Gray head with rufous crown.
• Rufous stripe behind eye.
• Two thin black mustache stripes on each side of bill.
• Streaked upperparts.
• Rufous patches on wings often concealed.
• Plain gray underparts.

• Size: 13-14 cm (5-6 in)
• Wingspan: 21 cm (8 in)
• Weight: 13-17 g (0.46-0.6 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Song is a series of short clear notes or longer whistles, followed by a trill. Calls include a very high "tzeet" and short pips.

Conservation Status

Habitat loss from grazing and development has led to declines and elimination of local Rufous-winged Sparrow populations.

Other Names

Bruant à épaulettes, Pinson à épaulettes rousses (French)
Zacatonero ala rufa, Gorrión alirrojo (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Rufous-winged Sparrow pairs remain on their territories year-round and stay bonded for life.
• The Rufous-winged Sparrow was first described in 1872 from specimens taken in Arizona. From 1886 to 1915 it was not recorded in the state.

• The Rufous-winged Sparrow may depend more on rainfall as a stimulus for nesting than any other North American bird. It typically nests after summer rains have begun, often building a nest and laying its first egg within five or six days after the first rain.

Sources used to construct this page:

P. E. Lowther, K. D. Groschupf, and S. M. Russell. 1999. Rufous-winged Sparrow (Aimophila carpalis). In The Birds of North America, No. 422 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.