Amphispizopsis quinquestriata
The Five-striped Sparrow (*Amphispizopsis quinquestriata*) is a medium-sized sparrow, measuring approximately 14-15 cm (5.5-6 inches) in length and weighing 18-24 grams. Its most striking feature is its distinctive head pattern, which gives the species its name: a black crown, a prominent white supercilium, a black eye-stripe, a broad white malar stripe, a black whisker stripe, and a clean white chin. The rest of its plumage is generally gray on the breast, transitioning to a whitish belly, w...
This sparrow primarily inhabits arid, thorny scrub and dense brushland on steep, rocky slopes of desert mountains, typically at elevations between 600-2000 meters (2,000-6,500 feet). Its preferred vegetation often includes acacia, mesquite, ocotillo, and hackberry.
Their diet consists mainly of insects, particularly during the breeding season (such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, and beetles), supplemented with various seeds from grasses and forbs, especially during the non-breeding months.
Five-striped Sparrows are diurnal, often most active during the cooler parts of the morning and late afternoon, retreating into dense cover during the intense heat of midday. They forage primarily on the ground, gleaning insects and seeds from beneath shrubs, though they will occasionally sally s...
The breeding range of the Five-striped Sparrow is remarkably restricted, primarily encompassing southeastern Arizona in the United States, specifically in the Santa Rita, Atascosa, Pajarito, and Patagonia mountain ranges. Southward, its range extends through much of western and central Mexico, fr...
Least Concern
- The Five-striped Sparrow was one of the last bird species to be confirmed as breeding in the United States, with its first nest discovered in Arizona as recently as 1957. - Its scientific name, *quinquestriata*, literally means 'five-striped,' referring to its unmistakable facial pattern. - Mal...