Black-striped Sparrow
Encyclopedia
The Black-striped Sparrow, Arremonops conirostris, is a passerine
bird
which breeds from northern Honduras
to western Ecuador
, northern Brazil
and Venezuela
.
This American sparrow
is a common bird in humid lowlands and foothills up to 1500 m altitude, in semi-open habitats such as thickets, young second growth, overgrown fields and shady plantations and gardens.
The large domed nest, built by the female, is made of coarse plant material and has a wide side entrance. It is normally placed less than 1 m up in dense growth, but may be as high as 1.8 m. The clutch is two, rarely three, unmarked white eggs, which are incubated by the female alone for 12–14 days to hatching.
The Black-striped Sparrow is a mainly terrestrial species, 16.5 cm long and weighing 37.5 g. The adult is distinctive, with a grey head which has broad black stripes each side of the crown and narrower black stripes through each eye. The upperparts are olive, with yellow on the bend of the wing. The underparts are dull white shading to grey on the breast sides and to olive on the lower belly. Young birds have brown stripes on a yellower head, brownish-olive upperparts and yellow-olive underparts.
This species resembles the Olive Sparrow
, but is larger, and the ranges do not overlap. There are a number of subspecies
The Black-striped Sparrow has a metallic churk call. The male’s song, given from the ground or a low perch, consists of a whistles and slurred notes, tsweet-tsweet tsweet-tswee ti-ti-ti, followed by a trill, but varies geographically.
The Black-striped Sparrow feeds on insect
s, spider
s and seeds taken on the ground, and also picks berries and invertebrate prey from low bushes. It is seen in pairs, never in flocks, and is a shy and retiring species.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
which breeds from northern Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
to western Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, northern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
This American sparrow
American sparrow
American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns....
is a common bird in humid lowlands and foothills up to 1500 m altitude, in semi-open habitats such as thickets, young second growth, overgrown fields and shady plantations and gardens.
The large domed nest, built by the female, is made of coarse plant material and has a wide side entrance. It is normally placed less than 1 m up in dense growth, but may be as high as 1.8 m. The clutch is two, rarely three, unmarked white eggs, which are incubated by the female alone for 12–14 days to hatching.
The Black-striped Sparrow is a mainly terrestrial species, 16.5 cm long and weighing 37.5 g. The adult is distinctive, with a grey head which has broad black stripes each side of the crown and narrower black stripes through each eye. The upperparts are olive, with yellow on the bend of the wing. The underparts are dull white shading to grey on the breast sides and to olive on the lower belly. Young birds have brown stripes on a yellower head, brownish-olive upperparts and yellow-olive underparts.
This species resembles the Olive Sparrow
Olive Sparrow
The Olive Sparrow, Arremonops rufivirgatus, is a species of American sparrow in the family Emberizidae. Its range includes Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and southern Texas .It is long, and is the only sparrow with an olive back...
, but is larger, and the ranges do not overlap. There are a number of subspecies
- A. c. conirostris breeds in most of northern South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. - A. c. richmondii breeds in Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
south to western PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. It is smaller and brighter than nominate conirostris. - A. c. striaticeps breeds from central PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to western EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. It is whiter below than nominate conirostris or richmondii. - A. c. viridicatus breeds on Isla de CoibaCoibaCoiba is the largest island in Central America, with an area of 503 square kilometers, off the Pacific coast of the Panamanian province of Veraguas. It is part of the Montijo District of that province.-History:...
, Panama. It is greyer on the head, breast and flanks than striaticeps. - A. c. inexpectatus breeds in part of western ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is small, dull, and brownish-olive above - A. c. umbrinus breeds in the Maracaibo basinLake MaracaiboLake Maracaibo is a large brackish bay in Venezuela at . It is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by Tablazo Strait at the northern end, and fed by numerous rivers, the largest being the Catatumbo. It is commonly considered a lake rather than a bay or lagoon, and at 13,210 km² it would be the...
of northern Colombia and VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. It is another small, dull race, but brighter above and slightly larger than inexpectatus
The Black-striped Sparrow has a metallic churk call. The male’s song, given from the ground or a low perch, consists of a whistles and slurred notes, tsweet-tsweet tsweet-tswee ti-ti-ti, followed by a trill, but varies geographically.
The Black-striped Sparrow feeds on insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s and seeds taken on the ground, and also picks berries and invertebrate prey from low bushes. It is seen in pairs, never in flocks, and is a shy and retiring species.