Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)

Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis) - HBW 14, p. 799

French: Moineau de Socotra German: Sokotrasperling Spanish: Gorrión de Socotora
Other common names: Abdelkuri Sparrow (hemileucus)

Taxonomy: Passer insularis P. L. Sclater and Hartlaub, 1881, Socotra Island.
Forms a superspecies with P. iagoensis, P. cordofanicus, P. shelleyi, P. rufocinctus and P. motitensis, and all sometimes considered conspecific. It has been suggested that pale race hemileucus may represent a full species, apparently genetically divergent from nominate, also that population on islet of Samha might warrant treatment as an additional, small race of present species; further study required. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution: