Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Rufous-crowned Sparrow has surged: up 101% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Rufous-crowned Sparrow
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) is a North American member of the New World Sparrows (Passerellidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the arid-land birds.
- Size
- 4.5–7.5 in long (12–19 cm) — a small songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Deserts, dry scrub and brushland of the Southwest.
- Diet
- Seeds, insects and cactus fruit of arid-land plants.
- Range
- Recorded on 224 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 9 states, most concentrated in the Coastal California.
- Family
- Passerellidae · Arid-land birds
Notable Rufous-crowned Sparrow Trends
No notable trend signals for Rufous-crowned Sparrow. See the full index history below.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Rufous-crowned Sparrow is projected to rise about 23% by 2029 — from 0.09 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.11 (95% range 0.06–0.17). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±29.9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| 2026 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| 2027 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| 2028 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| 2029 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
Where the Rufous-crowned Sparrow Is Detected
BBS routes recording Rufous-crowned Sparrow, sized by most recent count.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Population Trend by State
| Arizona | +297% | 1970 | 33 |
| California | +486% | 1972 | 73 |
| Colorado | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Montana | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New Mexico | +27% | 1970 | 28 |
| Oklahoma | +269% | 1969 | 10 |
| Texas | -33% | 1969 | 75 |
| Utah | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Sierra Nevada | +32% | 1997 | 6 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -91% | 1988 | 12 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | -82% | 1970 | 14 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | +368% | 1970 | 18 |
| Edwards Plateau | -0% | 1970 | 18 |
| Oaks and Prairies | -93% | 1969 | 14 |
| Coastal California | +620% | 1972 | 62 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | +173% | 1991 | 8 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | +130% | 1970 | 27 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +43% | 1969 | 34 |
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 101% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.