Olive Sparrow

The olive sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) is a species of American sparrow in the family Passerellidae. (Other names include green finch and Texas sparrow.) Its range includes Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and southern Texas (including the counties of Val Verde, Atascosa, and Nueces).

It is 14–15.5 cm long, and is the only sparrow with an olive back. It has a prominent brown eye streak and a brown-striped crown, with a buff breast, some white belly feathers, and a conical beak. The sexes are similar, while the juvenile is more buff with some streaking on the belly. The olive sparrow looks similar to the green-tailed towhee but is smaller and lacks a rusty cap.

The olive sparrow does not migrate, and is resident in thickets, chaparral, and undergrowth near forests, from sea level to 6,000 feet (1,800 m). Males sing unmusical chip notes similar to the swamp sparrow.

The nest is built two to five feet above ground, and is large, made of straws, twigs, bark, leaves, and stems. Two to five eggs are laid each season (March to September) and are white and unspotted.