Sparrows are little, light birds that disappear in the desert environment of Botteri’s Sparrows. With crimson and tan stripes, their crown is finely streaked. Their skin is usually pale and light brown in color.
Their bellies are grayish-tan, and their wings are rust-brown. Males and femen look alike. The overall color of juveniles is browner.
- Peucaea botterii
- Length: 15 cm (6 in)
- Weight: 20 g (0.7 oz)
- Wingspan: 23 cm (9 in)
Range
Sparrows live only across the US border in Mexico, and they do not migrate.
Habitat And Diet
In semi-desert grasslands, you may find Botteri’s Sparrows. Sacaton grass-dominated areas, especially those with young birds, are preferred habitats since they create thick clusters that offer essential concealment. In coastal prairies with scattered shrubs, Botteri’s Sparrows live.
Grasshoppers, which Botteri’s Sparrows flush out of bushes, are the Sparrows’ favorite snack. They pursue them on foot or in the air. Grasshoppers eat beetles, larvae, caterpillars, butterflies, seeds, and grasses when they can’t find any grasshoppers.
Nests
Dense clumps of tall grass cover Botteri’s Sparrows’ nests, which are located low to the ground. They’re lined with softer grass and rootlets, and they’re built of grass. A couple of weeks after the eggs are deposited, they hatch. There are typically around five eggs per nest. The responsibility of raising their family falls to both parents.
Fun Fact:
Matteo Botteri, an ornithologist, was the discoverer of Botteri’s Sparrows.