Photo: dominic sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Peucaea carpalis
Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 15.3 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 Peucaea
- Species carpalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-winged 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-winged Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA and nw Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.3 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 6.4 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 176,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-winged Sparrow?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 15.3 g.
Where does the Rufous-winged Sparrow live?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and nw Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-winged Sparrow belong to?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-winged Sparrow eat?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rufous-winged Sparrow migrate?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-winged 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-winged Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-winged 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-winged Sparrow's range?
The Rufous-winged Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 176,000 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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