White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

White-eared Ground Sparrow

Melozone leucotis Cabanis, 1861

18 cmLength40 gWeight

The white-eared ground sparrow (Melozone leucotis) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

White-eared Ground Sparrow has been recorded at 44 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Curi-Cancha Refugio de Vida SilvestreCosta Rica4,054 records
  2. Hotel BougainvilleaCosta Rica1,777 records
  3. Hotel QuelitalesCosta Rica1,680 records
More places
  1. Stella's BakeryCosta Rica1,108 records
  2. MonteverdeCosta Rica789 records
  3. Bajo La Paz, San RamónCosta Rica686 records
  4. Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso MonteverdeCosta Rica506 records
  5. San Luis – Finca EcológicaCosta Rica405 records
  6. RNP Los Tarrales – sendero La RinconadaGuatemala386 records
  7. Mirador Rey TepepulGuatemala337 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa RicaGuatemalaNicaraguaEl SalvadorMexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The white-eared ground sparrow (Melozone leucotis) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the White-eared Ground Sparrow?

The White-eared Ground Sparrow is about 18 cm long and weighs around 40 g.

Where does the White-eared Ground Sparrow live?

Its breeding range: Middle America: Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

When is the best time to see the White-eared Ground Sparrow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the White-eared Ground Sparrow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-eared Ground Sparrow as Least Concern.

What does the White-eared Ground Sparrow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the White-eared Ground Sparrow in?

It belongs to the family New World Sparrows (Passerellidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
18 cm
Weight
40 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Varied
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
82 mm
Tail
73 mm
Bill
17 mm
Tarsus
28 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America: Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
New World Sparrows Passerellidae
Genus
Melozone

Other birds in the genus Melozone

Rusty-crowned Ground SparrowRusty-crowned Ground SparrowMelozone kieneriCanyon TowheeCanyon TowheeMelozone fuscaWhite-throated TowheeWhite-throated TowheeMelozone albicollisAbert's TowheeAbert's TowheeMelozone abertiCalifornia TowheeCalifornia TowheeMelozone crissalisPrevost's Ground SparrowPrevost's Ground SparrowMelozone biarcuataCabanis's Ground SparrowCabanis's Ground SparrowMelozone cabanisiTanager FinchTanager FinchOreothraupis arremonopsYellow-throated ChlorospingusYellow-throated ChlorospingusChlorospingus flavigularisYellow-whiskered ChlorospingusYellow-whiskered ChlorospingusChlorospingus parvirostris
White-eared Ground Sparrow

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Steven Easley. ↗

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