Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

Sitio realizado por aficionados a la observación de aves desde 10 de enero 2006

Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonotrichia capensis

Order: Passeriformes (Oscines) - Family: Emberizidae
Habitat: Woods, bushland, grassland and embankments


Todos los registros desde Enero 2014

Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow Due to its wide distribution and sighting probability it must be one of the most successful and easily recognized birds. How many times we must have found ourselves saying: "Oops! It was a Rufous-collared Sparrow".
It is tame, active and always present. It may be seen going round trees or foraging on the ground. In winter it joins mixed flocks together with the Masked Gnatcatcher, the Golden-crowned Warbler, the Black-capped Warbling-Finch, the House Sparrow, the White-crested Tyrannulet, the Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and some other passerines.
There is little material about the reproduction of this sparrow at Costanera. There are no photos of nests nor of the incubating period. Nevertheless, two records clearly show that it nests here. A fledgeling being fed by an adult and an adult which was parasitized by a Shiny Cowbird.
The Rufous-collared Sparrow of this photo is a typical sparrow to us: black stripes on a gray head, rufous collar and a slight crest. But in Argentina there are between six and nine species according to the authors. Differences lie in the width of the stripes, the gray colouring of the head, the size and colour of the collar, the dorsal striations, etc. Perhaps the most striking subspecies is that of the south which has no black stripes on its head.
Foto © Pablo Mosto - Text: Cora Rimoldi

Sounds
chingolo JST
© Diego Caiafa
chingolo JST
© Diego Caiafa
chingolo JST
© Dolores Fernández
 

© Cora Rimoldi

Adult
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Carlos González Ledo
Grey head with crest. Black stripes on crown.
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Carlos González Ledo
White throat. Black and rufous half-collar
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© J. Simón Tagtachian
Upperparts brown with blackish streaking. Rufous nape
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© José Alberto Lell
Greyish to whitish underparts

Breeding
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© J. Simón Tagtachian
Cup-like nest. It builds the nest out of vegetal material on the ground

Chick and young
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Roberto Ares olo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Roberto Ares
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Roberto Ares
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Seedeater© Marcelo Castro Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Hugo Hulsberg
ChingoloJ/Rufouscollared SparrowJ© Carlos González Ledo Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Carlos González Ledo
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Diego carús Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano

Chingolo/Rufous-collared Seedeater© Marcelo Castro
Juan Klavins provided this valuable piece of information: "It certainly was born 4-5 weeks ago. This plumage lasts a short time. It soon changes into the first basic plumage (preformative), which is as it looks before the breeding period both in one- or two-year olds".

Parasitism
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow1 05 © Hugo Hulsberg
Parasitized by Shiny cowbird Molothrus bonariensis

Diet
Solo o en pequeños grupos come del suelo como posado en plantas. Se alimenta de semillas, frutos,
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano
Fruto de lantana Lantana camara
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano
Fruto de ombú Phytolocca dioica
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano
Simíl a una harina
Chingolo/Rufous-collared Sparrow© Sergio Cusano
Cortadera Cortaderia selloana
 

More photographic records since January 2013