Photo: Lip Kee Yap / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Kenya Sparrow
Passer rufocinctus
Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27.8 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 rufocinctus
Where it lives
Eastern African acacia savanna and settlements: southwestern, south-central Kenya and northern Tanzania
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Kenya Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Kenya Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) belongs to the Passeridae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e African acacia savanna and settlements: sw, sc Kenya and n Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 5.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 90,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Kenya Sparrow?
The Kenya Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 27.8 g.
Where does the Kenya Sparrow live?
The Kenya Sparrow is found across Africa with a range covering AF e African acacia savanna and settlements: sw, sc Kenya and n Tanzania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Kenya Sparrow belong to?
The Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Kenya Sparrow eat?
The Kenya Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Kenya Sparrow migrate?
The Kenya Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Kenya 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 Kenya Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Kenya Sparrow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Kenya Sparrow's range?
The Kenya Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 90,000 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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Guides for this bird
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