Olive Sparrow
Arremonops rufivirgatus
The Olive Sparrow is a shy, thicket-dwelling sparrow of south Texas brushland, identified by its olive-green back and chestnut-striped crown.
- Feather type
- Contour feathers, soft-edged
- Colours
- Olive-green above with chestnut crown stripes
- Bird size
- Sparrow-sized, ~14 cm
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Overview
Overview
The Olive Sparrow is a distinctive, un-sparrow-like sparrow with an olive-green back rather than the streaked brown typical of the family. It stays low and hidden in dense thorn scrub, more often heard scratching in leaf litter than seen.
- Family: New World sparrows (Passerellidae)
- Genus: Arremonops, brush-sparrows of Middle America
- One of the few North American sparrows with an unstreaked olive back
Identifying the Feather
Feather Identification
Olive Sparrow feathers are smooth olive-green above, without streaking, paired with a gray face and a crown marked by two broad chestnut stripes.
- Shape: Rounded contour feathers; short, rounded wings suited to brush-hopping rather than long flight
- Size: Small sparrow-sized feathers
- Color pattern: Uniform olive-green back and wings, gray underparts, and bold chestnut crown stripes bordering a gray central crown stripe
- Shaft: Pale, not diagnostic
- Vs. similar species: The plain olive back readily separates this species from streaked sparrows; no other US sparrow shows this unmarked green tone combined with chestnut crown stripes
Plumage & Molt
Plumage Details
Adults show an olive-green back, grayish underparts, and a gray face bordered by chestnut crown stripes and a dark line through the eye.
- Sexes: Similar in appearance
- Juveniles: Duller and more streaked on the underparts, with less defined crown stripes, becoming adult-like after the first molt
- Seasonal changes: Plumage remains essentially the same year-round
- Molt: Complete annual molt following the breeding season
Habitat & Range
Habitat & Range
Olive Sparrows are birds of dense, thorny brushland and forest edge in the northeastern reaches of their Middle American range.
- Range: South Texas south through eastern Mexico to Central America
- Habitat: Thorn scrub, chaparral, and dense understory along woodland edges
- Migratory status: Non-migratory resident throughout its range
Behavior & Field Notes
Behavior & Field Notes
Olive Sparrows forage on the ground beneath dense cover, kicking through leaf litter for food and rarely venturing into the open.
- Diet: Seeds and insects gleaned from leaf litter and low vegetation
- Nesting: Builds a domed, side-entrance nest low in dense shrubs
- Voice: A song of accelerating, ringing chip notes that speed into a trill, often compared to a bouncing ball
- Field notes: Best located by its distinctive rustling in leaf litter or its accelerating trill song from within dense cover
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Olive Sparrow's feathers unusual among sparrows?
Its back and wings are plain olive-green rather than streaked brown, unlike most other New World sparrows.
Where is the Olive Sparrow found in the US?
It occurs only in south Texas, in dense thorn scrub habitat, as part of a range extending into Mexico and Central America.
Does the Olive Sparrow migrate?
No, it is a non-migratory resident that stays in its brushy habitat year-round.
How is the Olive Sparrow usually detected?
It is often first noticed by rustling sounds in leaf litter or by its accelerating, bouncing-ball-like trill song from dense cover.
Olive Sparrow guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Olive Sparrow.
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