A large, stocky sparrow that is uncommon on arid rocky hillsides or canyons with patches of grass and sparse shrubs. It is usually solitary unless mated and will not flock. Much more common in southwestern states like Arizona, it is becoming much less common in Oklahoma. Its most likely observation spot is either at Black Mesa, Black Mesa State Park, or the Wichita Mountain NWR in the Sunset picnic area in western and southwestern Oklahoma, respectively.
Known for the dark lateral throat striping, the red rear eyeline, pale malars, and split rufous crown with plain gray breast and ground dwelling behavior, it appears to resemble a towhee phylogenically. It also has a husky descending chatter that seems like it is more mumbled than clear.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Santa Rita Lodge, AZ 2018
With isolated populations and from twelve common subspecies up to another six more possible, its populations are often very isolated from one another.
They are insectivores during the spring and summer, then rely on seeds for the winter.
Nests are often predated upon by snakes and a number of mammals, to which the sparrow has adopted a few defense mechanisms. It uses the drooping wing like the Killdeer, falling from a bush, and the "rodent" run voicing a drawn out alarm call, where all three habits take predators away from the nest.
Its breeding area is a sparsely vegetated scrubland. The males are very territorial and guard their breeding grounds throughout the year. When a nest site has been chosen, they will usually rely upon it for many years. A single brooder, but a clutch replacer when necessary, this species is a victim of the Brown-headed Cowbird.
Rodenticides are also a problem for this species, namely warfarin, since they spend so much of their time on or near the ground.
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