Peucaea sumichrasti
The Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow (*Peucaea sumichrasti*) is a striking New World sparrow endemic to southwestern Mexico, known for its eponymous rufous tail. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm (5.5-6 inches) in length and weighing around 15-20 grams, this species exhibits a distinctive appearance with a gray head, contrasting dark lateral crown stripes, a dark eye-line, and a whitish supercilium. Its back is olive-brown with fine dark streaking, while the underparts are a clean, unstreaked gray. The...
This sparrow primarily inhabits arid and semi-arid scrublands, tropical deciduous forest edges, and dense brushy areas, often favoring limestone soils. It is typically found at low to moderate elevations, generally below 1500 meters.
Their diet consists mainly of insects, such as grasshoppers, beetles, and ants, particularly during the breeding season, supplemented by various small seeds from grasses and herbaceous plants, especially in the non-breeding months. They forage by gleaning from vegetation and scratching the ground.
Cinnamon-tailed Sparrows are often secretive, foraging on or very near the ground, gleaning insects and picking seeds from low vegetation. They are typically seen singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season, and do not usually form large flocks. Males establish and defend territorie...
The Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow is endemic to a relatively restricted area of southwestern Mexico. Its primary distribution lies within the state of Oaxaca, extending into southeastern Guerrero and southern Puebla. This species is a resident, non-migratory bird throughout its range, occupying the sam...
Least Concern
- The Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow is one of the few bird species entirely endemic to the southwestern Mexican state of Oaxaca and adjacent regions. - Its scientific name, *sumichrasti*, honors the Swiss-Mexican naturalist and engineer, Adrian Louis Jean-François Sumichrast. - This sparrow's distincti...