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*OLIVE SPARROW  Arremonops rufivirgatus 13.5–14.5cm. Rather drab sparrow

of dry lowland forest, adjacent thickets, gallery forest. In pairs or family groups

scratching in leaf litter, rarely ranging into fruiting bushes; sings from concealed

perch at low to mid-levels in shady understory. No similar species in Costa Rican

range: note drab, overall rather plain plumage with distinct dark stripes on buffy

head. Juv. duller overall with dark streaking above and below, weak head pattern;

soon like adult. SOUNDS: High, sharp, slightly smacking tsik, can be repeated

steadily. Song a variably accelerating series of twangy to ringing chips, mostly

4–6 secs; starts with 2–5 slower-paced notes often different in quality from main

song series, such as tk, siu, s’wee tseu tseu-tseutseu…or tk, tik seeu, si sweeu chi-chi-chichi.…STATUS: Fairly

common on n. Pacific slope, locally to 900m in w. Central Valley. (Mexico and s. Texas to Costa Rica.)

BLACK-STRIPED SPARROW  Arremonops conirostris 16–17.5cm. Fairly large

and bulky sparrow of humid lowland forest edge, second growth thickets,

overgrown fields, hedgerows, gardens. In pairs or family groups, mostly on or

near ground, but ranges into fruiting bushes and trees, at times into subcanopy;

sings mainly from low to mid-levels in shady understory. Distinctive in range,

with bold black stripes on gray head, olive upperparts. SOUNDS: Downslurred

mellow cheu and slightly gruff cheuh, both often repeated steadily. High lisping

notes and twangy nasal duets when excited. Song prolonged, up to 45 secs or

more: begins with hesitant rich twangy chirps and burry whistles every 1–2 secs

then runs into an accelerating series of nasal chuh and choo notes that fade out or run into a roll, such as

h’uit, cheuhr, húit, cheuk, cheu...choo choo choo choo-choo-choochoo...; sometimes ends with abrupt nasal

cheúh. STATUS: Fairly common on both slopes, to 1500m. (Honduras to S America.)

CABANIS’S GROUND SPARROW  Melozone cabanisi 15–16.5cm. Attractive

and distinctively patterned sparrow of humid foothill woodland and plantations,

adjacent second growth, brushy hedgerows, overgrown fields. Mostly retiring,

in shady understory; pairs forage on ground in leaf litter, ranging to adjacent

open edges mainly early and late in day. No similar species in Costa Rica: note

bright rusty cap, complex head and breast pattern. SOUNDS: Rather quiet, high

thin ti and stronger, harder tik. Song a short medley of 2–4 downslurred, often

inflected whistled notes preceded by 1–3 short chips, such as tik-tik ssiiu p’ssiuu

or tk ssiiu ti’p’ssiu, and variations, 1–1.5 secs. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly

common but local, mainly in hills around Central Valley, 600–1600m.

(Endemic to Costa Rica.)

*WHITE-EARED GROUND SPARROW  Melozone leucotis 17.5–18.5cm.

Fairly large, attractively patterned sparrow of humid foothill woodland and

plantations, adjacent second growth. Mostly retiring, in shady understory; pairs

forage on ground, often scratching noisily in leaf litter. No similar species in

Costa Rica: note bold head pattern, with white face patches, yellow collar.

SOUNDS: High thin ti; high sibilant twitters in pulsating duet, up to about 5

secs. Song a staccato series of (usually 5–11) slightly sibilant ringing chips, often

accelerating slightly, and preceded by 2–3 high slurred chips, such as ti siu si

chi-chi-chi-chi-chichi, 2–2.5 secs. STATUS: Fairly common to uncommon from

n. Pacific slope s. to Central Valley, 500–2000m; spills over locally to adjacent Caribbean slope. (Mexico

to Costa Rica.)