The Story
I photographed this Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) at Ukuku Rural Lodge in Juntas, Tolima, Colombia. It lives in almost any open or semi-open habitat, including farmland, gardens, parks and grassland. It feeds on the ground on seeds, fallen grain, insects and spiders. It is usually seen in pairs that hold small territories, or in small flocks. It is tame, approachable and common throughout its large range. Juntas is a rural district of Ibagué in the Combeima Canyon, a buffer zone of Los Nevados National Natural Park where more than 300 bird species have been recorded.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 6400. IUCN lists the Rufous-collared Sparrow as Least Concern, with an increasing population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) belongs to the family Passerellidae (New World Sparrows) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as increasing. Source: IUCN Red List