Conservation

Saffron-Billed Sparrow is considered a species of Least Concern (Birdlife International 2012). It received this categorization because of its large estimated range, approximately 2,100,000 km², and although its population size is not quantified, it has been described as common, and there is no evidence of population declines or threats. Parker et al. (1996) described this species as a low conservation priority relative to other Neotropical birds.

While many species are threatened by habitat loss or disturbance from activities such as logging, there is some evidence that Saffron-billed Sparrow may flourish in patchy and/or disturbed forest. Some research shows that Saffron-billed Sparrows have higher population density in medium to large forest fragments, while others have found no difference in population density between large and small fragments (dos Anjos 2001, Marini 2001, Ogrzewalska et al. 2011). One study found that Saffron-billed Sparrow is more common in forests that have logging activity, most likely due to its preference for edge habitat and small clearings (Miranda et al. 2010). However this does not mean they are immune to the effects of habitat degradation from human activities. One study of the presence of micronuclei (genetic fragments caused by environmental perturbations or spontaneous mutations) in several bird species found 78% of Saffron-billed Sparrows (n = 9) to have micronuclei present, with a higher rate of micronuclei per 1000 erythrocytes in more urban habitats: 0.37 near urban areas, and 0.08 further from urban areas (Baesse et al. 2015). While micronuclei are not dangerous, they are indicative of cell mutations, many of which are caused by pollutants and environmental toxins (Baesse et al. 2015).