Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Aimophila ruficeps
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 18.7 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 Aimophila
- Species ruficeps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) is a species of bird in the Passerellidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sc, sw USA and Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.7 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 6.2 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 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-crowned Sparrow?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 18.7 g.
Where does the Rufous-crowned Sparrow live?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sc, sw USA and Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-crowned Sparrow belong to?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-crowned Sparrow eat?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rufous-crowned Sparrow migrate?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-crowned 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-crowned Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-crowned 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-crowned Sparrow's range?
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 1.2 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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