Photo: EvaldoResende / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Zonotrichia capensis
Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 20.3 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 Zonotrichia
- Species capensis
Where it lives
Southern Mexico to southern Argentina; also Hispaniola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA s Mexico to s Argentina; also Hispaniola.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 12.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-collared Sparrow?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 20.3 g.
Where does the Rufous-collared Sparrow live?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA s Mexico to s Argentina; also Hispaniola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-collared Sparrow belong to?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-collared Sparrow eat?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Rufous-collared Sparrow migrate?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-collared 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 Rufous-collared Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-collared Sparrow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous-collared Sparrow's range?
The Rufous-collared Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 12.7 million 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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