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Difference between revisions of "Spanish Sparrow" - BirdForum Opus

(Wintering pair Ssp. image added)
(Imp sizes. Basic tidy-up. References updated)
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;[[: Category:Passer|Passer]] hispaniolensis
 
;[[: Category:Passer|Passer]] hispaniolensis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
15 - 16cm
+
15 - 16cm (6-6¼ in)
 
====Male====
 
====Male====
 
* Bright chestnut crown
 
* Bright chestnut crown
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Resident in parts of its range, migratory or nomadic in others.  
 
Resident in parts of its range, migratory or nomadic in others.  
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
[[Image:33561PASSER DOMESTICUS ITALIAE 21.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Italian Sparrow: a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow, [[House Sparrow]] or a full species?<br />Photo by {{user|LECURU|LECURU}}<br />Como, [[Italy]], June 2006 ]]
+
[[Image:33561PASSER DOMESTICUS ITALIAE 21.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Italian Sparrow: a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow, [[House Sparrow]] or a full species?<br />Photo by {{user|LECURU|LECURU}}<br />Como, [[Italy]], June 2006]]
 +
The [[Italian Sparrow]] is sometimes regarded as subspecies of this species.<br />
 +
Forms a superspecies with [[House Sparrow]] and [[Italian Sparrow]].
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
 
Two subspecies recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
 
Two subspecies recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
 
* ''P. h. hispaniolensis'' on the [[Iberian Peninsula]], [[Sardinia]], [[Greece]] and [[Balkans]], western [[Turkey]], the [[Canary Islands]], [[Cape Verde]] Islands, [[Madeira]] and northwest [[Africa]] ([[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]], northeast [[Libya]])
 
* ''P. h. hispaniolensis'' on the [[Iberian Peninsula]], [[Sardinia]], [[Greece]] and [[Balkans]], western [[Turkey]], the [[Canary Islands]], [[Cape Verde]] Islands, [[Madeira]] and northwest [[Africa]] ([[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]], northeast [[Libya]])
 
* ''P. h. transcaspicus'' in [[Cyprus]], eastern [[Turkey]] and the [[Middle East]] to [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Kazakhstan]] and northwest [[China]]
 
* ''P. h. transcaspicus'' in [[Cyprus]], eastern [[Turkey]] and the [[Middle East]] to [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Kazakhstan]] and northwest [[China]]
The [[Italian Sparrow]] is sometimes regarded as subspecies of this species.<br />
 
Forms a superspecies with [[House Sparrow]] and [[Italian Sparrow]].
 
[[Image:Spanishsparrowpair_alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Witering Pair Ssp.''transcaspicus'' <br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Gurgaon, [[India]], Jan-2017 ]]
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Often in moist, humid areas near water and with trees and shrub. Associated with cultivated land and extends into urban areas where House Sparrow is lacking (eg. [[Canary Islands]] or [[Malta]]).
 
Often in moist, humid areas near water and with trees and shrub. Associated with cultivated land and extends into urban areas where House Sparrow is lacking (eg. [[Canary Islands]] or [[Malta]]).
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
[[Image:Spanishsparrowpair_alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Witering Pair Ssp.''transcaspicus'' <br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Gurgaon, [[India]], January 2017]]
 
Usually seen in flocks which may be very large.<br />
 
Usually seen in flocks which may be very large.<br />
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
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''[[Media:Passer hispaniolensis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Passer hispaniolensis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}#{{Ref-RasmussenAnderton05}}
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}#{{Ref-RasmussenAnderton05}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=90506&highlight=italian+sparrow Discussion thread about the taxonomy of Italian Sparrow]
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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<br />
 
<br />
 
{{Video|Spanish_Sparrow}}
 
{{Video|Spanish_Sparrow}}
*[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=90506&highlight=italian+sparrow Discussion thread about the taxonomy of Italian Sparrow]
 
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Passer]][[Category:Videos]][[Category:Bird Songs]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Passer]][[Category:Videos]][[Category:Bird Songs]]

Revision as of 01:17, 17 January 2017

Alternative name: Willow Sparrow

Male
Photo by scottishdude
Lesvos, Greece, April 2010
Passer hispaniolensis

Identification

15 - 16cm (6-6¼ in)

Male

  • Bright chestnut crown
  • Broad black bib meeting bold plack pattern on underside and black shoulders
  • Whitish cheeks
  • Narrow white supercilium
  • Black on mantle and shoulders
Female
Photo by A. Meir
Eilat, Israel, October 2008

Female

  • Almost identical to female House Sparrow and usually impossible to separate
  • Slightly bigger bill, paler belly and sometimes hint of grey streaking on whiter underparts

Juveniles are similar to females but duller.
Italiae (Italian Sparrow) is sometimes considered conspecific with this species. It has the same head pattern but less heavy black streaks on mantle and black only on upper breast.

Distribution

Breeds in western Spain, Portugal, Sardinia (Italy), northern Africa, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Madeira, Balkans, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and east to Iran, south Kazakhstan and northwest China.
Winters to the Arabian Peninsula and northwest India and Pakistan.
Italiae would breed in Italy, southern Switzerland, Corsica, Sicily and Crete.
Common to locally abundant.

Resident in parts of its range, migratory or nomadic in others.

Taxonomy

Italian Sparrow: a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow, House Sparrow or a full species?
Photo by LECURU
Como, Italy, June 2006

The Italian Sparrow is sometimes regarded as subspecies of this species.
Forms a superspecies with House Sparrow and Italian Sparrow.

Subspecies

Two subspecies recognized[1]:

Habitat

Often in moist, humid areas near water and with trees and shrub. Associated with cultivated land and extends into urban areas where House Sparrow is lacking (eg. Canary Islands or Malta).

Behaviour

Witering Pair Ssp.transcaspicus
Photo by Alok Tewari
Gurgaon, India, January 2017

Usually seen in flocks which may be very large.

Diet

Feeds on seeds of grasses, cultivated crops ans low herbs. Takes also invertebrates. Nestlings are fed with insects.

Breeding

Breeding season from April to August in the western parts of its range. A colonial breeder, sometimes with several thousand pairs. The nest is a loosely woven spherical structure made of grass and placed in a tree or in lower part of a large nest of a bird of prey, crow, heron or White Stork. Lays 2 - 6 eggs which are incubated for 12 days. The chicks fledge about 14 days old.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Passer hispaniolensis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. 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
  3. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
  4. Discussion thread about the taxonomy of Italian Sparrow

Recommended Citation

External Links


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