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Yellow-browed Sparrow Ammodramus aurifrons Scientific name definitions

Alvaro Jaramillo
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2011

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Introduction

In South America, the Yellow-browed Sparrow is the tropical grassland replacement of the Grassland Sparrow (Ammodramus humeralis). The Yellow-browed Sparrow does well in much more coarse grassland, in hot lowland areas in the tropics. It is currently showing a major population boom as it is benefiting from forest clearing in the Amazon basin. Once the forest is cleared and agriculture comes in, or rank grass grows up instead of trees, this sparrow moves in. Unlike the Grassland Sparrow which requires older grasslands and less disturbed areas, it appears that the more disturbed the better for the Yellow-browed Sparrow. This sparrow is a short-tailed sparrow, but with oversize long and large legs, and usually a rather prominent long bill; it does not have the same large-headed look of the Grassland Sparrow. More than yellow-browed, this sparrow is yellow faced as the yellow of the supra-lores typically bleeds out to much of the fore face. The upperparts of this sparrow are only obscurely streaked, making it look much more solid in coloration above than is typical for an open country sparrow. Its underparts are pale grayish, and the brown wings show an obvious yellow bend, and sometimes this extends as a yellow shoulder patch.

Field Identification

13 cm; 14·5–19 g. A short-tailed and long-legged sparrow with relatively long and stout bill and short wing, primaries entirely hidden by tertials. Nominate race has grey head with fine darker streaking on crown, prominent bright yellow supercilium extending half-way back on head and continuing pale grey on rear head, largely greyish face with yellow wash on lores, yellow often extending below eye and to base of malar region; upper­parts grey with darker streaking, rump un­streaked grey-brown; tail brown; lesser upperwing-coverts dark brown with broad ­olive-yellow fringes, median coverts similar but fringed buffish, often paler at tip, forming rather weak wingbar, rest of upperwing feathers dark brown with brown to grey fringes, marginal coverts bright yellow (showing as yellow area at bend of wing on perched bird); throat whitish, narrow brownish moustachial line; breast and flanks grey, rest of underparts off-white; iris dark; bill dark above, blue-grey below; legs greyish-flesh to dull pink. Distinguished from A. humeralis by longer bill, extensive yellow on face, lack of median crownstripe, and less distinct pattern on coverts and tertials. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult, but paler and duller plumage, lacking much yellow on face, and has breastband of narrow streaks. Races differ in darkness of plumage, also in extent of yellow on face: cherrieri has less yellow on face than nominate; apurensis is like previous, but has blacker and wider streaking on upperparts, and brighter white throat contrasting with buff of breast; tenebrosus is darkest, has orange wash on area above lores, dark grey flanks.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

See A. humeralis. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies


SUBSPECIES

Ammodramus aurifrons apurensis Scientific name definitions

Distribution

NE Colombia (Norte de Santander to Arauca) E through llanos of W Venezuela to Orinoco Delta.

SUBSPECIES

Ammodramus aurifrons cherriei Scientific name definitions

Distribution

EC Colombia (in llanos of Meta).

SUBSPECIES

Ammodramus aurifrons tenebrosus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SW Venezuela (SW Amazonas), SE Colombia (Guainía and E Vaupés) and adjacent W Brazil.

SUBSPECIES

Ammodramus aurifrons aurifrons Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SE Colombia (SE of Andes) S through E Ecuador and E Peru to NE Bolivia, and E through Amazonian Brazil.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Lowland tropical grassland and open sites, although found commonly to 1000 m in E Ecuador, and exceptionally to 2500 m. Essentially will accept any open habitat, including short grass, taller grass, pastures, open areas adjacent to villages, roadside grassy spots, and all kinds of open and degraded habitats, including empty lots in cities. Very adaptable.

Movement

Sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Seeds and insects; nestling diet arthropods. Forages exclusively on ground, specializing on grass seeds. Often forages in the open, and, unlike A. humeralis, not hidden in grass.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song, often given in heat of midday, a high-pitched, insect-like, nasal double trill, “tzeeee-tzneeeeee”, often preceded by very soft “tk” note (audible only at very close quarters). Call a high-pitched “tip”.

Breeding

Season May–Oct in Venezuela and Feb–Sept in Colombia. Cup-shaped nest of dried grass, lined with finer material, placed on ground; clutch 2–3 eggs, whitish. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Fairly common throughout most of extensive range. Very adaptable, this species’ preference for variety of grassy and open habitats makes it one of low sensitivity, and forest clearance is increasing available habitat for it; is quickly gaining habitat as Amazonian forest being cleared, and more settlements and agricultural areas established. Occurs in several protected areas.

About the Author(s)

Alvaro began birding as an 11 year old in Canada, and eventually trained in Evolutionary Ecology studying, creatures as varied as leaf-cutter ants and Argentine cowbirds. But his career has been focused on birding tourism, both as a guide and owner of his tour company, as well as a avitourism consultant to various organizations. He is the author of Birds of Chile, New World Blackbirds: The Icterids, as well as the ABA Field Guide to the birds of California. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California where he is known for his pelagic birding trips. Email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com.


Distribution of the Yellow-browed Sparrow - Range Map
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Distribution of the Yellow-browed Sparrow

Recommended Citation

Jaramillo, A. (2020). Yellow-browed Sparrow (Ammodramus aurifrons), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.yebspa1.01
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