Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow Melozone cabanisi

Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow is restricted to central Costa Rica, and so is called Costa Rican Ground-Sparrow by some authors; it is a southern counterpart to the more widespread White-faced Ground-Sparrow (Melozone biarcuata), which occurs from southern Mexico to northern Honduras. This sparrow has a largely rusty head and face, with white on the lores and around the eyes, as well as a black submoustachial streak that borders the lower edge of the rusty face. The upperparts otherwise are brownish gray. Below it is unstreaked, but shows a black central breast spot, or "stickpin". As the name suggests, this sparrow forages on the ground, either as singles or pairs. It occupies deciduous forest and forest edge, the edges of humid montane forest, and second growth. Although Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow is fairly common, it often is retiring, and most aspects of its natural history are poorly known.