Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)
Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) - HBW 14, p. 804
French: Moineau blanc
German:
Spanish: Gorrión Sahariano
Other common names: African Desert/White Sparrow
Taxonomy: Fringilla simplex M. H. C. Lichtenstein, 1823, Ambukol, Dongola, Sudan.
Sometimes thought, with little justification, to be part of superspecies formed by P. domesticus, P. italiae and P. hispaniolensis. Has been suggested that Asian and African populations might have evolved separately from P. domesticus, but it seems more likely that present species once had more continuous distribution (from N Africa E to W Turkestan) until probably up to 50,000 years ago, at least, but has become extinct in C regions with increased aridification. Race zarudnyi distinctive, and may represent a separate species. Birds in Mauritania, currently .. View all taxonomy...
Sometimes thought, with little justification, to be part of superspecies formed by P. domesticus, P. italiae and P. hispaniolensis. Has been suggested that Asian and African populations might have evolved separately from P. domesticus, but it seems more likely that present species once had more continuous distribution (from N Africa E to W Turkestan) until probably up to 50,000 years ago, at least, but has become extinct in C regions with increased aridification. Race zarudnyi distinctive, and may represent a separate species. Birds in Mauritania, currently included within nominate, possibly belong to race saharae. Three subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- saharae Erlanger, 1899 - NW Sahara Desert E to W Libya, S at least to S Algeria (Ahaggar) and Chad.
- simplex ( M. H. C. Lichtenstein, 1823) - S Sahara from Mauritania and Mali E to S Egypt and Sudan.
- zarudnyi Pleske, 1896 - Turkmenistan and W Uzbekistan.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A female plumaged bird on a wall, then near a male House Sparrow Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 4 years ago 24 sec 4.6 -
A juvenile asking a male for food, then flying away Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 4 years ago 20 sec 4.5 -
A male calling from a wall, then flying away Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 4 years ago 36 sec 4.4 -
A male on a wall, calling and stretching its wing Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 4 years ago 43 sec 4.3 -
A male feeding on the ground Locality Erfoud, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Job Roig i Simon 31 March 2005 6 years ago 22 sec 4.3 -
A male eating something on the top of a wall Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Eldert Groenewoud 2 March 2004 4 years ago 36 sec 4.3
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a female on the ground
Locality Jebil National Park, Kebili Governorate, Tunisia
Marco Valentini 30 December 2011 5 weeks ago 4 -
male on a dead branch
Locality Ksar Ghilane, Kebili Governorate, Tunisia (ssp saharae)
Georges Olioso 20 February 2007 2 years ago 4 -
chicks just fledged from nest
Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Aleix Comas 28 March 2009 2 years ago 4 -
adult male
Locality Merzouga, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp saharae)
Aleix Comas 28 March 2009 2 years ago 4 -
an adult male
Locality Jebil National Park, Kebili Governorate, Tunisia
Marco Valentini 30 December 2011 5 weeks ago 3.8 -
female on a rock
Locality Ksar Ghilane, Kebili Governorate, Tunisia (ssp saharae)
Georges Olioso 22 February 2007 2 years ago 3.3
- No sound recordings available yet
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