User:Rufous-crowned Sparrow

Mostly, Rufous-crowned Sparrow (formerly known as European Bison Man until he forgot his password) works with bird articles. As a birder, he is fascinated by all of the species abroad that he is likely never to see.

So far, he has started forty-three pages of varying quality: Gallirallus, New Caledonian Rail, New Caledonian Lorikeet, New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar, Beck's Petrel, Horned Parakeet, Crow Honeyeater, Azure-rumped Tanager, Guadalupe Junco, Thick-billed Parrot, Maroon-fronted Parrot, Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Coiba Spinetail, Nino Konis Santana National Park, Attmore-Oliver House, Poecile, Fan-tailed Warbler, Pariente's Fork-marked Lemur, Columbina, Claravis, Lava Heron, Red and White Bundle, Titanohierax borrasi, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Daniel Alomía Robles, Humphrey-Parkes terminology‎, Swallowtail Shiner, Sand Shiner, pecten, uncinate processes of ribs, Rallicola extinctus, List of North Carolina birds, Phyllophaga nebulosa, Sansevieria cylindrica, Strophomenida, Desmoxytes, Desmoxytoides hasenpuschorum, Polydesmida, Heteropoda dagmarae, Periophthalmodon schlosseri, giant skippers, List of Maryland birds, Appalachian Azure, Christian Jouanin, and Columbicola extinctus.

Outside these and the shiny boxes at the top of the page, Rufous-crowned Sparrow is also particularly proud of his contribution to the Antiguan Racer, Carrikeri Harlequin Frog, and Philippine Eagle articles.

He has learned that plans he sets for Wikipedia tend to fail, and if history repeats itself, contributes in short bursts. In 2010 he planned on finalizing Djibouti Francolin for a FAC run while bringing Great Auk and Philippine Eagle up to GA. From there, New World vulture and Labrador Duck would have been targeted while he attempted to update Cape Fear Shiner for a possible FAC. He had decided to dedicate 2009 to improving Wikipedia's articles on the 190 critically endangered species of birds, with an overly ambitious plan to get 52 of them to either GA or FA status by December 31. He failed, but he still is interested in bringing critically endangered articles up to higher statuses. For a page detailing this project, go here. He also wants to start Rododendron vaseyi.

DYK

...that hatchlings of the Cape Fear Shiner, a critically endangered minnow endemic to central North Carolina, feed off of their egg yolk for five days after they hatch? Dec. 13, 2007 (1684 views)

...that the Crested Shelduck is a critically endangered duck that has not been definitively seen since 1964, despite a handful of possible sightings and numerous surveys of its presumed habitat? Dec. 31, 2007 (1300 views)

...that the Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a medium-sized sparrow of the southwestern United States and Mexico, has a subspecies endemic to the Todos Santos Islands that has not been seen since the 1970s? Jan. 22, 2008 (725 views)

...that the Carrikeri Harlequin Frog, a critically endangered toad endemic to northern Colombia, was recently rediscovered after an absence of 14 years? March 31, 2008 (2099 views)

...that the Flammulated Flycatcher, a tyrant flycatcher endemic to Mexico, was eventually placed in the monotypic genus Deltarhynchus because of its broad bill? May 31, 2008 (819 views)

...that millipedes in the genus Desmoxytes give off an almond-like smell as they produce hydrogen cyanide to ward off predators? Dec. 20, 2008 (2000 views)

...that the Djibouti Francolin, a critically endangered species of bird, is only known from two isolated locations in Djibouti? Jan. 4, 2009 (1400 views)

...that the Azure-hooded Jay, though not threatened with extinction, is uncommon in some parts of its Central American range? April 26, 2009 (1305 views)

...that the larvae of the Appalachian Azure, a species of gossamer wings butterfly, can only feed on the flowers of the black cohosh? May 15, 2009 (740 views)

...that Christian Jouanin, a French ornithologist, has described three species of birds, including Jouanin's Petrel and the critically endangered Djibouti Francolin? May 3, 2010 (989 views)

...that the White-necked Rockfowl, a vulnerable species of bird found in Upper Guinean forests, builds its nests in caves out of mud? November 5, 2011 (2800 views)

...that the Long-tailed Ground Roller, a species of bird endemic to Madagascar, digs a tunnel in the sand as an entrance to its underground nest? November 18, 2011 (2200 views)

...that the Congo Serpent Eagle may be one of few known examples of avian mimicry? November 29, 2011 (6300 views)

...that the Negros Fruit Dove is only known from a single female shot from a tree on the slopes of a Philippine volcano in 1953? April 22, 2013 (4985 views)

...that the extinct Choiseul Pigeon (pictured), which was endemic to the island of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands, was so tame that the indigenous hunters could pick it up off of its roost? April 24, 2013 (6652 views)

...that the Purple-throated Cotinga is considered a naturally rare species across its range? April 26, 2013 (3502 views)

...that despite its name, the chewing louse Columbicola extinctus, which was originally thought to only use the Passenger Pigeon as a host, is not extinct as it was rediscovered on the Band-tailed Pigeon? April 28, 2013 (700 views)

...that though the Sulu Bleeding-heart has not been definitively seen since 1891, there is still hope that it is not extinct? May 9, 2013 (9789 views)

Milestones:



1st edit (reason for coming back to Wikipedia): Greenville Zoo

100th edit: Talk:Alpine Chough

250th edit: Talk:Small-billed Tinamou

500th edit: St. Helena Earwig

750th edit: California Condor

1000th edit: Catullus 2

2000th edit: Antiguan Racer

2500th edit: Emu

3000th edit: Rufous-crowned Sparrow

4000th edit: Buff-necked Ibis

5000th edit: Schomburgk's Deer

6000th edit: Sulawesi Owl

7000th edit: Purple-throated Cotinga

7500th edit: Crested Shelduck

8000th edit: McCown's Longspur

9000th edit: Sulu Bleeding-heart DYK Nomination Quick Cuts:

Citation templatesTemplate:ConvertFlickr Tool

RAZO

Fishpool L. & Tobias J. (2005) "Family Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls) in del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2005). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-87334-72-5 FORMAT ME