São Francisco Sparrow

About the São Francisco Sparrow

The Sao Francisco sparrow (Arremon franciscanus) is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is endemic to Brazil. The Sao Francisco sparrow was formally described in 1997 by Marcos Raposo. He suggested that its closest relative is the half-collared sparrow (A. semitorquatus). It is monotypic.

The Sao Francisco sparrow is about 21 cm (8.3 in) long and weighs 21 to 25 g (0.74 to 0.88 oz). Females have not been formally described. Adult males have a black crown with a thin whitish or pale gray stripe through its middle, black lores, and a white supercilium that extends to the nape. The rest of their face is black. Their nape and the sides of their neck are pale gray. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are mostly greenish olive; some individuals are yellower on their lesser wing coverts. They have a thin black chin line just under their bill and a white throat. Their underparts are mostly white with an oval black spot on the side of the upper breast and light gray flanks. They have a brown to dark reddish brown iris, an orange-yellow bill with a blackish culmen, and pinkish gray to brownish... Wikipedia →