Rufous-winged Sparrow
(Peucaea carpalis)
eBird gives this description of the Rufous-winged Sparrow: Subtly marked sparrow with a poor name; “rufous wing” is restricted to a tiny, barely visible patch on the shoulder. Gray head and neck with peaked rufous crown and rufous eyeline. Stout pink bill. Sides are buff and unstreaked on adults. Back and wings are also buffy with fine markings. Paler throat is edged with thin dark lines. Primarily a Mexican species with very limited range in the U.S.; found in pairs or small flocks in brushy grasslands. Variable song usually composed of a few clear tinkling notes and trills.
All About Birds provides this additional descriptive information about the Rufous-winged Sparrow: At first glance, the Rufous-winged Sparrow resembles the widespread Chipping Sparrow, although you won’t see the former outside of the Sonoran Desert’s thornbush and bunchgrass habitats. Note the gray face, pale bill, and rusty crown, eyeline, and shoulder patch. Males sing most consistently at the start of the summer monsoon, which kicks off the breeding season. Rufous-winged Sparrows are so tied to rainfall for breeding that if winter rains are heavy, they may nest again the following spring.
I saw, and photographed, my first Rufous-winged Sparrow on the grounds of Rancho Santa Cruz on the morning of August 5, 2022. I probably would not have been able to identify this bird without the help of Richard Fray, our guide from one of the 2022 Southwest Wings field trips. To read my blog post that includes my stay at Rancho Santa Cruz and my sighting of this bird, look here.
“Cool Facts” About the Rufous-Winged Sparrow From All About Birds:
- Rufous-winged Sparrow pairs remain on their territories year-round and stay bonded for life.
- The Rufous-winged Sparrow may depend more on rainfall as a stimulus for nesting than any other North American bird. It typically nests after summer rains have begun, often building a nest and laying its first egg within five or six days after the first rain.
- Unlike the nests of other New World sparrows, the nests of Rufous-winged Sparrows are easy to find because they are relatively high in small trees or shrubs, and often plainly visible.
- The Rufous-winged Sparrow was first scientifically described in 1872 from specimens taken in Arizona. Then, from 1886 to 1915 it was not recorded in the state.
- The oldest Rufous-winged Sparrow was a male, and at least 6 years old when he was re-captured and re-released during banding operations in Arizona.