Olive Sparrow
Arremonops rufivirgatus
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasserellidae (New World Sparrows)
- GenusArremonops (Olive Sparrows and Allies)
- SpeciesArremonops rufivirgatus (Olive Sparrow)
About the Olive Sparrow
The olive sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found from Texas to Costa Rica. The olive sparrow was formally described in 1851 with the binomial Embernagra rufivigata and the English name "brown striped olive finch". In 1896 Robert Ridgway erected the genus Arremonops and reassigned the olive sparrow to it as the type species.
The olive sparrow's further taxonomy is unsettled. The IOC and AviList assign it these eight subspecies: A. r. rufivirgatus (Lawrence, 1851) A. r. crassirostris (Ridgway, 1878) A. r. rhyptothorax Parkes, 1974 A. r. verticalis (Ridgway, 1878)
A. r. sinaloae Nelson, 1899 A. r. sumichrasti (Sharpe, 1888) A. r. chiapensis Nelson, 1904 A. r. superciliosus (Salvin, 1865) However, as of late 2025 the Clements taxonomy and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World add a ninth subspecies, A. r. ridgwayi (Sutton & Burleigh, 1941). The other systems include it within the nominate A. r. rufivirgatus.
This article follows the eight-subspecies model. The olive sparrow is about 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) long and weighs 15 to 30 g... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Olive Sparrow in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve
Green-backed Sparrow
Arremonops chloronotus
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum
Botteri's Sparrow
Peucaea botterii
Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Tropical Mockingbird
Mimus gilvus
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Mangrove Vireo
Vireo pallens
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
Mangrove Swallow
Tachycineta albilinea
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cañón del Sumidero National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Santa Rosa National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Rincón de la Vieja National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 5 | Palo Verde National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Carara National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 8 | Ostional Wildlife Refuge | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 9 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 11 | Masaya Volcano National Park | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | |
| 12 | Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 13 | Tikal National Park | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 14 | Tenorio Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 15 | Biotopo Cerro Cahuí | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 16 | Las Baulas Marine National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Olive Sparrow in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Olive Sparrow sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Olive Sparrow in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
June has the highest sighting rate for Olive Sparrow in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.