Rufous-collared Sparrow ( Zonotrichia capensis )

15 cm. It is a small sparrow with the head striated in black and white. There is a topknot and a rufous collar around the neck that is more evident in the male. The back and the wings are brown. The immature does not have bands in the head. Cinnamon and albine mutations are not uncommon.
Distribution:
From Mexico to Tierra del Fuego. Absent in dense forests.
Habitat:
Fields, crops, woods, gardens and parks in cities.
Diet:
Insects, seeds and occasionally human leftovers. Licks the sweet liquid produced by aphids.
Reproduction:
The couple establishes a territory that is fiercely protected by the male. The nest is built in short bushes or even on the ground among tall grass. The nest is made of grass, roots and lined with herbs and fur. When the nest is placed on the ground it may be covered by green moss. Lays three to five greenish eggs with brown dots. The offspring are fed by the couple.
Natural history:
The vocalization varies individually according to the place. It has a different night song. It is the main host to the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). The offspring of the cowbird often kill the ones of the sparrow. The increasing population of the cowbird may explain the declining population of rofous-collared sparrows, sometimes attributed to competition with the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). In southern Brazil it is migratory, sometimes forming flocks coming from bordering countries. The territorial males sometimes fight against their own image in mirrors.