Olive Sparrow Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A medium-sized sparrow with a rotund belly, a thick neck, and a long tail. The bill is heavy and slightly longer than in other sparrows.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Chipping Sparrow, smaller than a Spotted Towhee.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.3-5.9 in (13.5-15 cm)
    • Weight: 0.5-1.1 oz (15-30 g)
    • Wingspan: 7.9 in (20 cm)

  © Brian Sullivan

• Color Pattern

  Adult males and females are grayish overall with olive upperparts and a brownish to cinnamon eyeline and head stripes. Unlike many sparrows, the Olive Sparrow is not streaky: its belly, wings, and back are all unmarked.

• Behavior

  A shy sparrow that hops along the ground amid dense vegetation, never straying far from cover. It often forages on the ground in pairs with its tail held up.
• Habitat

  Found in densely vegetated areas including thorn scrub, weedy fields, shrubby areas, and forests with dense understory vegetation.

Regional Differences

Color of head stripes varies across its range, with those farther south having darker head stripes.

Regional Photos

© Martin Reid / Macaulay LibraryChiapas, July 12, 2015