A large-headed and thick-billed sparrow, found exclusively in weedy grasslands with sparse shrubs. Distinctive color combination of olive-green nape, rufous wings, and crisp black streaks below. Also note large pinkish bill and flat crown. Singing males perch conspicuously in the breeding season; otherwise very secretive, especially in migration and winter. Populations declining sharply, perhaps due to pesticide use and destruction of native grasslands. Listen for its extremely short song, easy to pass off as an insect: “ts-lick.”