Identification
13cm in length with a wingspan of 17.5 to 20cm. Black crown, throat and eyestripe, a grey nape and rufous sides to the head. The cheeks and underparts are whitish while the upperparts are reddish-brown with black streaks. The female is grey-brown above with dark streaks and whitish below. It is very similar to the female House Sparrow but has a more obvious pale stripe over the eye.
Distribution
Taxonomy
Habitat
Lava plains, desert and dry scrub.
Behaviour
The nest is made of grass, lined with hair and feathers and usually built in a hole in a cliff or wall. The female lays three to five eggs. The young birds are fed on insects. Adult Iago Sparrows feed mainly on seeds and leaves.