Original description: Chondestes ruficauda Bonaparte 1853
Taxonomic history in AOU/AOS Check-list
AOU 6 (1983): Stripe-headed Sparrow, Aimophila ruficauda
AOU 7 (1998): Stripe-headed Sparrow, Aimophila ruficauda
IUCN Conservation Status: Of least concern
Habitat:
Behavior: The Stripe-headed Sparrow is not particularly shy, but its habitat of often dense thorny shrubs, cacti, and agaves in dry canyons can make it difficult to see nevertheless; it tends to avoid hillsides and riparian areas. Stripe-headed Sparrows feed as pairs or in small flocks presumably including non-breeding first-cycle birds. Most foraging takes place in open patches on the ground, though they also glean insect prey from the leaves of trees and, less often, low shrubs.
Most flights are short-range, though some very long flights can cover as much as 100 yards. The flight is direct and strong, without obvious fluttering or tail movement.
Voice: Stripe-headed Sparrows are fairly noisy, frequently giving soft zsee calls and, when alarmed, loud nasal tchumk notes, the latter sometimes in a long, slightly accelerating series.
Males sing two different songs. One, the “pechew” song, comprises a brief, abrupt one- or two-syllable introduction followed by a cheerfully frantic phrase of five or six squeaky doubled notes, chew—che-pechew-pechew-pechew-pechew. They also sing a chattering song, sometimes joined by the female, whose contribution to the duet may be less varied than the male’s notes.
Detailed description and measurements drawn from standard reference works
Adult Peucaea ruficauda acuminata: Tail feathers brown with rusty tinge. Upper tail coverts and rump brown with inconspicuous darker streaking. Back and scapulars buffy brown with broad dark brown streaks. Primaries and secondaries dark brown to dull blackish; primaries edged pale buffy, secondaries brownish rust. Tertials blackish with broad brownish rust edges and buffy tips. Greater and median coverts blackish on inner web, outer web blackish with broad brown edges and tips; covert tips form inconspicuous buffy brown wing bars. Nape pale brownish gray with narrow black streaks.
Under tail coverts, vent, belly, breast, throat, and area of jaw stripe white to dull buffy whitish. Flanks and sides of breast faintly tinged buffy or grayish buffy. No lateral throat stripe. Ear coverts and lore solid blackish.
Crown whitish with broad black lateral stripes. Lateral crown stripes divided from ear coverts by broad whitish supercilium.
Tarsus and toes pinkish gray. Thick-based, heavy bill blackish above, dull pinkish gray below.
Juvenile Peucaea ruficauda acuminata: Tail feathers brown with rusty tinge. Upper tail coverts and rump brown with inconspicuous darker streaking. Back and scapulars buffy with broad brown streaks. Primaries and secondaries dark brown; primaries edged pale buffy, secondaries brownish rust. Tertials blackish with broad brownish rust edges and buffy tips. Greater and median coverts blackish on inner web, outer web dark brown with dusky edges and tips; covert tips form inconspicuous dark wing bars. Nape pale brownish with narrow black streaks.
Under tail coverts, vent, and belly buffy whitish. Breast pale buffy, darker at sides of breast, with fine brown streaking. Flanks buffy. Ear coverts and lore buffy brown.
Crown grayish with broad brown lateral stripes. Lateral crown stripes divided from ear coverts by broad buffy supercilium.
Tarsus and toes pinkish gray. Thick-based, heavy bill brown above, dull gray below.
Length 150-168 mm (5.9-6.6 inches)
Wing 64-71 mm (2.5-2.8 inches)
Tail 75-84 mm (2.9-3.3 inches)
W:T 0.86
Mass 25-32 g
