The cinnamon-tailed sparrow is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae that is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Pacific slope of southern Mexico
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, and arid to semi-arid shrublands, especially where dense low vegetation provides cover. Uses edges of second-growth, hedgerows, and overgrown pastures. Typically keeps close to the ground, foraging in leaf litter and low shrubs. Sensitive to extensive clearing and fragmentation, which breaks up suitable habitat. Tolerates some mosaic landscapes if dense shrubby patches remain.
Altitude Range
0–1400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Endemic to southern Mexico, the cinnamon-tailed sparrow favors dry thorn-scrub and tropical dry forest with dense low understory. It is often heard before it is seen, keeping low and flicking its warm cinnamon tail as it moves between shrubs. Habitat loss from agriculture and development is the primary threat across its limited range.
Temperament
skulking and cautious
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low dashes between shrubs
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups. Nests low in dense shrubs or near the ground in well-concealed cup nests. Likely monogamous during the breeding season, with both parents tending young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, musical series of trills and thin whistles delivered from low perches within scrub. Calls include sharp chips and tinkling notes used to maintain contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with fine dusky streaking, grayish head and nape, and pale buff underparts. The tail and wing edges show rich cinnamon tones that contrast with the more subdued body. A narrow pale supercilium and dusky malar line frame a cleaner throat.
Diet
Feeds on small seeds of grasses and forbs, supplemented by insects such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars, especially in the breeding season. Will take small berries when available. Often gleans quietly on or near the ground, probing leaf litter and low stems.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense scrub, thorny thickets, and the ground layer of tropical dry forest. Frequently uses edges, trailsides, and overgrown fields where seed-rich weeds and insects are abundant.
