Rufus-crowned Sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps
Migration of the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow does not migrate.
Nesting habitats used by the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow nests on the ground in a protected area near grass or under a shrub.
Range of the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow is found in the coastal scrub and chaparral from Mexico to around Mendocino county. They are also in a similar habitat along the base of the Sierra Nevada range.
Habitat/ Plant communities used by the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow uses mainly brushy habitats. It will also uses coast live oaks.
Diet of the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow gleans insects or other arthropods from shrubs or trees. They like to use coast live oaks for gleaning. They also search in the leaf litter for the same. The Rufus crowned sparrow also eats seeds and young plant shoots.
How to attract the Rufus-crowned sparrow
The Rufus-crowned sparrow likes cover with open areas between. One of its favorite plant communities is the coastal sage scrub. Some good plants for this purpose would be California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, Black sage, Salvia mellifera, and Chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum. Because these birds nest on the ground, they are preyed upon by domestic and feral cats.
