Photo: El Golli Mohamed / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Desert Sparrow
Passer simplex
Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 19.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passeridae Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
- Genus Passer
- Species simplex
Where it lives
Northern Africa in Saharan oases, wadis and towns: southeastern Morocco east to central, southeastern Libya, south through Mauritania and east to central Sudan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Desert Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Desert Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) is a species of bird in the Passeridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF n Africa in Saharan oases, wadis and towns: se Morocco e to c, se Libya, s through Mauritania and e to c Sudan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 660,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Desert Sparrow?
The Desert Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 19.5 g.
Where does the Desert Sparrow live?
The Desert Sparrow is found across Africa with a range covering AF n Africa in Saharan oases, wadis and towns: se Morocco e to c, se Libya, s through Mauritania and e to c Sudan, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Desert Sparrow belong to?
The Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Desert Sparrow eat?
The Desert Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Desert Sparrow migrate?
The Desert Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Desert Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Desert Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Desert Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Desert Sparrow's range?
The Desert Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 660,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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