Rufous-collared Sparrow Stock Photo

The rufous-collared sparrow or Andean sparrow Zonotrichia capensis is an American sparrow found in a wide range of habitats, often near humans, from the extreme south-east of Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, and on the island of Hispaniola. It is famous for its diverse vocalizations, which have been intensely studied since the 1970s, particularly by Paul Handford and Stephen C. Lougheed UWO, Fernando Nottebohm Rockefeller University and Pablo Luis Tubaro UBA. Local names for this bird include the Portuguese tico-tico, the Spanish chingolo, chincol and copetón, `tufted` in Colombia and comemaà Â­z `corn eater` in Costa Rica.