Other Scientific Names
Aimophila ruficauda [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Aimophila ruficauda [Stotz et al. (1996)], Aimophila ruficauda [BirdLife International (2004, 2008)]
Other Names (World)
Stripe-headed Sparrow, Russet-tailed Sparrow
Stripe-headed Sparrow (Peucaea ruficauda) [XC578754]
by Mario Reyes Jr from La Paz, Departamento de La Paz, Honduras (call)
Stripe-headed Sparrow (Peucaea ruficauda) [XC455052]
by Manuel Grosselet from Estanque de Aguas Negras, San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico (song)
Subspecies
Formerly placed in Aimophila, but molecular-genetic studies indicate that such treatment would make that genus polyphyletic. Various studies suggest that this species is part of a group that includes also Black-chested Sparrow (Peucaea humeralis), Bridled Sparrow (Peucaea mystacalis), Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow (Peucaea sumichrasti) and Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis), this group being sister to a clade containing Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii), Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) and Botteri's Sparrow (Peucaea botterii).
Proposed subspecies ibarrorum (described from La Avellana, in Guatemalan Southern Pacific lowlands) included within ruficauda.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
acuminata (Salvin & Godman, 1886) - Pacific slope of Mexico from southern Durango and southern Zacatecas south to south-eastern Guerrero, east to Morelos and southern Puebla.
lawrencii (Salvin & Godman, 1886) - Southern side of Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca and extreme western Chiapas, in southern Mexico.
connectens (Griscom, 1930) - Valley of R Motagua, in eastern Guatemala.
ruficauda (Bonaparte, 1853) - Pacific slope from south-eastern Guatemala south to north-western Costa Rica.