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PLATE 105: SPARROWS
House Sparrow Passer domesticus RB
L: 14.5. Subspecies indicus (Indian House Sparrow) is the taxon that occurs in Arabia. Male has grey
crown, chestnut-brown sides of head, variably large black ‘bib’, very pale, clean underparts,
strikingly white cheeks, with prominently dark streaked back. Female and juvenile buffish-brown
above, greyish on crown, boldly streaked darker on mantle and pale greyish below; supercilium
creamy. Feeds and roosts in flocks. Voice Simple song monotonous, cheeping or chirping notes
of varying pitch. Habitat Towns, villages, farmland. Colonial; untidy nest built in rock crevices,
buildings, trees or bushes. Note Resident in much of Arabia east to SE Iran. Race hufufae, sometimes
included in indicus ‘group’, occurs E Arabia. Map includes all House Sparrow races.Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis pm, wv
L: 15. Resembles House Sparrow (with which it hybridises); larger bill sometimes evident. Male has
rufous-brown crown (pale-fringed duller in winter) and large black ‘bib’ extending to bold black
streaks on breast and flanks (all pale-fringed in winter); back boldly streaked black, merging at
sides with black of breast. Female not always safely separable, though supercilium and underparts
are whiter, with breast and flanks grey-streaked. Often gathers in large, compact flocks on passage/
winter. Voice Song as House Sparrow, but faster and audible at long range; calls slightly higher than
in House Sparrow. Habitat Rural settings, open cultivation in winter. Note Has bred Bahrain, Qatar;
passage and winter hatched, rare in SE Arabia.Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus V
L: 14. Smaller, more delicate than House Sparrow with chestnut crown, black spot on whiter
cheeks and a smaller black ‘bib’; two narrow white wing-bars and grey-brown rump.
Voice Song is a series of repeated tweet notes. Calls clearer and harder than House Sparrow, and
higher pitched. Flight call is a hard tek-tek-tek; also tchu-wit, pilp and a hard chik. Habitat Parks,
gardens or woodland, often near habitation. Note Winter hatched; vagrant Oman, UAE.Yellow-throated Sparrow Gymnoris xanthocollis PM, mb
L: 13.5. Olive grey-brown unstreaked sparrow, with long, stout-based, pointed bill – black in
breeding male, pinkish-brown in female and non-breeding male. Male has yellow spot on lower
throat, chestnut lesser coverts and broad white wing-bar. Female and juvenile lack chestnut lesser
coverts and yellow throat-patch but have distinctive bill shape and prominent wing-bar; grey legs,
pointed bill and all-dark tail separates from Pale Rockfinch. Perches in trees; finch-like movements
on ground; dipping flight rather pipit-like. May migrate by day in flocks. Voice Quiet chirruping
song softer, more melodious and rhythmic than House Sparrow. Call a sparrow-like cheep, chilp or
chirrup. Habitat Open dry woodland, date groves, cultivated areas. Nests in hole or crevice in tree.
Note Passage hatched; rare in winter Oman, UAE. [Alt: Chestnut-shouldered Petronia]Pale Rockfinch Carpospiza brachydactyla PM, mb
L: 15. Unstreaked, grey-brown, lark-like sparrow with whitish wing-panel and wing-bars, long
primary projection, short dark tail with white tip (obvious in flight), strong pale bill (with curved
culmen) and prominent dark eye in pale face. Sexes similar. In flight has a lark-like appearance.
Often gregarious outside breeding season. Feeds in manner of lark, otherwise hops almost upright.
Voice Distinctive insect-like buzzing song monotonous and persistent tss tss tss tseeeeeeeeei.
Flight call a soft trill, recalling distant European Bee-eater; also piyee or twee-ou. Habitat Rocky and
scrubby areas at low to moderate altitudes; cultivation on passage. Untidy, domed twig and grass
nest built in low bush. Note Passage hatched; some winter in SW Arabia. [Alt: Pale Rock Sparrow]