Photo: Cephas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-eared Ground Sparrow
Melozone leucotis
White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 39.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Melozone
- Species leucotis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis) belongs to the Passerellidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-eared Ground Sparrow?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 39.9 g.
Where does the White-eared Ground Sparrow live?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the White-eared Ground Sparrow belong to?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-eared Ground Sparrow eat?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-eared Ground Sparrow migrate?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-eared Ground Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-eared Ground Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the White-eared Ground Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-eared Ground Sparrow's range?
The White-eared Ground Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 11,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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