It was discovered by Spanish zoologist, Fermín Zanón Cervera in March 1927 around Santo Tomás in the Zapata Swamp and formally described by American herpetologist Thomas Barbour and his compatriot, ornithologist James Lee Peters in 1927.

[2] Barbour had been accompanied by Cervera on his previous visits to Cuba, and on hearing of the strange birds to be found in the Zapata area, he sent the Spaniard on a series of trips into the region, eventually leading to the finding of the sparrow.

Buden and Olson (Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 477 (1989)), not reviewing the description, drew attention to Bond,[5] who cited varonai to a different Cuban publication.

This is the citation given by Garrido et al. [serial Poeyana] (1986), whereas Bond [Ibid] (1982:12) cites the original description of Torreornis inexpectata varonai Regalado as 'Rev.

In the dry seasons the Zapata population feeds on seeds and flowers primarily, as well as, insects, spiders, snails and their eggs.