Rufous-winged Sparrow

Peucaea carpalis

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15 cm (6") Uncommon and local in southern Arizona. Tall desert grasslands mixed with brush, cactus.

Rufous crown. Two black whisker stripes on each side of face. Brown line behind eye. Streaked gray-brown back. Plain grayish white underparts. Long, rounded tail. Resembles Field Sparrow or Chipping Sparrow except for whisker stripes and round tail. Rufous shoulder patch is difficult to see in the field.

Song: 2 notes followed by a trill.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

3 photos

Guadalupe Canyon, Hidalgo Co., NM - January 8, 2011

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Camp Chiricahua, southeastern Arizona - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - July 5, 2011

Credit: logan kahle

Credit: Dan Irizarry

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Rufous-winged Sparrow alarm call | Birds of Arizona

Credit: Birding Visions Cinema | Clive Bramham

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Rufous-winged Sparrow

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Desert, arid grassland, shrubs, cactus, mesquite · Thickets or shrubs
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:168-rufous-winged-sparrow:1:1 Source: 168 Rufous-winged Sparrow, row 1