Tumbes sparrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tumbes sparrow |
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| A Tumbes sparrow (below), and a Raimondi's yellow finch (above) | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rhynchospiza
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| Species: |
stolzmanni
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| Synonyms | |
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Aimophila stolzmanni |
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The Tumbes sparrow (Rhynchospiza stolzmanni) is a small bird that lives in Ecuador and Peru. It belongs to the Passerellidae family, which includes many types of sparrows. This bird prefers to live in dry forests and dry shrubland areas.
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What Does the Tumbes Sparrow Look Like?
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The Tumbes sparrow is a medium-sized bird. It grows to about 14.5 cm (5.7 in) long. Its beak is wide and shaped like a cone. The top part of the beak is blackish, and the bottom part is a horn color.
Its head has a grey top, called a crown. There is a reddish-brown stripe on the side of its head. This stripe goes all the way to the back of its neck. It also has a white stripe above its eye and a brown stripe through its eye.
The upper part of its body is greyish-brown. It has some buff (light yellowish-brown) shading. You can see bold black streaks on its back. Its wings are blackish-brown with light edges on the feathers. The larger wing feathers have blackish centers with reddish-brown edges and light tips. The smaller wing feathers are reddish-brown. This gives the wings a slightly striped look. The bend of its wing is pale yellow.
The tail is blackish-brown with light edges on the feathers. Its throat is white, and its belly is greyish-white. There is a dark stripe that looks like a mustache near its beak.
Where Do Tumbes Sparrows Live?
This sparrow is found only in the Tumbes Region of South America. Its home range stretches from the La Libertad Region in northwestern Peru. It goes up to the Loja Province in southwestern Ecuador. These birds live at heights up to about 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level. They like dry areas with bushes and open dry woodlands. They also live in semi-deserts where cacti and other plants grow.
Life and Habits of the Tumbes Sparrow
Tumbes sparrows usually live alone or in pairs. They look for food on the ground. Their diet includes seeds and insects.
Reproduction and Nesting
The nest of a Tumbes sparrow is shaped like a cup. It is made from grasses and lined with soft materials. They hide their nests among grasses on the ground. These birds usually breed during the rainy season. This happens from January to May.
What is the Tumbes Sparrow's Conservation Status?
The Tumbes sparrow is a fairly common bird. Even though it lives in a specific area, it is not currently facing major threats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has looked at its population. They have decided that its conservation status is "least concern". This means it is not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
