- Melozone leucotis
Identification
17–19 cm (6¾-7½ in)
Nominate
- Mostly black head
- Large whitish loral spot
- Olive-brown upperparts
- Broken white eye ring
- Green nape
- Yellow sides of the neck
- Black throat and breast patch, separated by a thin rufous grey line
- White underparts
- Grey flanks
- Stubby dark-grey bill
Young birds have yellower underparts, and a duller indistinct head pattern.
Distribution
Southern Mexico and Guatemala to northern Costa Rica.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- M. l. occipitalis:
- Highlands of southern Mexico (Chiapas) to Guatemala and El Salvador
- M. l. nigrior:
- M. l. leucotis:
- Highlands of central Costa Rica
Habitat
Montane evergreen cloud forests and forest edges, dark thickets, moist ravines, low scrubby undergrowth, second growth, coffee plantations and large gardens.
Behaviour
Breeding
Their nest is a large bulky bowl of dead leaves, stems and thin twigs, lined with finer grasses and other material, which is constructed by the female. She hides it on the ground.
The clutch contains 2 white eggs which have brown blotches on them. They are incubated by the female for 12-14 days. The male joins in with feeding the chicks.
Diet
They forage on, or near, the ground for insects, arthropods, spiders, and seeds.
Action
The hop on the ground while frequently flicking their tails.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 14.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.14.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2019)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-eared Ground Sparrow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-eared_Ground_Sparrow
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
