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Difference between revisions of "Great Sparrow" - BirdForum Opus

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'''Alternative names: Great Rufous Sparrow; Southern Rufous Sparrow; Namibia Rufous Sparrow (''benguellensis'')'''
[[Image:Southern_Rufous_Sparrow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by nkgray<br />Photo taken: Hotazel, Northern Cape, South Africa]]
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[[Image:Southern_Rufous_Sparrow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male. Photo &copy; by {{user|nkgray|nkgray}}<br />Hotazel, Northern Cape, [[South Africa]], 10 July 2006]]
'''Alternative names: Great Rufous Sparrow; Great Sparrow'''
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[[Image:GreatRufousSparrowIMG 3853.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female. Photo &copy; by {{user|jmorlan|Joseph Morlan}}<br />Avis Dam,  Windhoek, [[Namibia]], 18 July 2023]]
 
;[[:Category:Passer|Passer]] motitensis
 
;[[:Category:Passer|Passer]] motitensis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Length 15-16 cm. It has a grey crown and rear neck and rufous upperparts.
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15 - 16cm. One of the largest sparrows.
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* Blue-grey crown and nape
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* Black lores
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* Chestnut crescent-shaped band from eye to side of neck, encircling paler grey ear-coverts
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* Small black bib on chin and central throat
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* Chestnut upperparts
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* Bodly streaked black mantle and inner scapulars
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* Blackish to dark brown upperwing
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* Broad white tips on medain coverts
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* Dark brown tail
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* Pale grey underparts
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Females have the same plumage pattern but are duller and the chestnut on the head is replaced by creamy buff. Juveniles resemble females but look more washed-out.
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====Similar species====
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Similar to [[Kenya Rufous Sparrow]] but ranges don't overlap. Also similar to the introduced [[House Sparrow]], but it's larger, the colours are brighter, and the rump is rufous rather than grey.
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==Distribution==
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Southern [[Africa]]: found in [[Angola]], [[Zambia]], [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[Lesotho]] and [[eSwatini]].
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Locally common.
  
Similar to the [[House Sparrow]], but it is larger, the colours are brighter, and the rump is rufous rather than grey.
 
==Distribution==
 
Southern [[Africa]].
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 +
====Subspecies====
 
''Passer motitensis'' has three subspecies:<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
 
''Passer motitensis'' has three subspecies:<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
 
*''P. m. benguellensis''
 
*''P. m. benguellensis''
 
:*Southern [[Angola]] to [[Namibia]]
 
:*Southern [[Angola]] to [[Namibia]]
 
*''P. m. subsolanus''
 
*''P. m. subsolanus''
:*Southern [[Zimbabwe]] to north-eastern [[South Africa]] and north-western [[Swaziland]]
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:*Southern [[Zimbabwe]] to north-eastern [[South Africa]] and north-western [[eSwatini]]
 
*''P. m. motitensis''
 
*''P. m. motitensis''
 
:*[[Botswana]] to central and western [[South Africa]]
 
:*[[Botswana]] to central and western [[South Africa]]
Some authorities include [[Kenya Rufous Sparrow]] in this species and call this species '''Rufous Sparrow'''.
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Some authorities include [[Kenya Rufous Sparrow]] (and sometimes also [[Iago Sparrow]] and [[Socotra Sparrow]]) in this species and call this species '''Rufous Sparrow'''.
 +
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Dry, wooded savanna and towns.
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Dry, wooded savanna. Not associated with man.
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==Behaviour==
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Less sociable than most sparrows and usually encountered in pairs.
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====Diet====
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Feeds on seeds of grass and cultivated cereals. Nestlings are fed with insects.<br />
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====Breeding====
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Breeding season from September to February. A solitary breeder. The nest is a dome of the size of a rugby football with an entrance at the top end and made of grass. It's placed in a thorny tree, sometimes in a rock crevice. Lays 3 - 6 eggs.
  
==Behaviour==
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A nomadic species.
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thOct07}}
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Passer+motitensis}}
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{{GSearch|"Passer motitensis" {{!}} "Great Rufous Sparrow" {{!}} "Southern Rufous Sparrow" {{!}} "Namibia Rufous Sparrow" {{!}} "Great Sparrow" }}
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{{GS-checked}}1
  
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Passer]]
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Passer]]

Latest revision as of 21:01, 28 August 2023

Alternative names: Great Rufous Sparrow; Southern Rufous Sparrow; Namibia Rufous Sparrow (benguellensis)

Male. Photo © by nkgray
Hotazel, Northern Cape, South Africa, 10 July 2006
Female. Photo © by Joseph Morlan
Avis Dam, Windhoek, Namibia, 18 July 2023
Passer motitensis

Identification

15 - 16cm. One of the largest sparrows.

  • Blue-grey crown and nape
  • Black lores
  • Chestnut crescent-shaped band from eye to side of neck, encircling paler grey ear-coverts
  • Small black bib on chin and central throat
  • Chestnut upperparts
  • Bodly streaked black mantle and inner scapulars
  • Blackish to dark brown upperwing
  • Broad white tips on medain coverts
  • Dark brown tail
  • Pale grey underparts

Females have the same plumage pattern but are duller and the chestnut on the head is replaced by creamy buff. Juveniles resemble females but look more washed-out.

Similar species

Similar to Kenya Rufous Sparrow but ranges don't overlap. Also similar to the introduced House Sparrow, but it's larger, the colours are brighter, and the rump is rufous rather than grey.

Distribution

Southern Africa: found in Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho and eSwatini.

Locally common.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Passer motitensis has three subspecies:1

  • P. m. benguellensis
  • P. m. subsolanus
  • P. m. motitensis

Some authorities include Kenya Rufous Sparrow (and sometimes also Iago Sparrow and Socotra Sparrow) in this species and call this species Rufous Sparrow.

Habitat

Dry, wooded savanna. Not associated with man.

Behaviour

Less sociable than most sparrows and usually encountered in pairs.

Diet

Feeds on seeds of grass and cultivated cereals. Nestlings are fed with insects.

Breeding

Breeding season from September to February. A solitary breeder. The nest is a dome of the size of a rugby football with an entrance at the top end and made of grass. It's placed in a thorny tree, sometimes in a rock crevice. Lays 3 - 6 eggs.

A nomadic species.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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