Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer griseus
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) — 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 Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) 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 griseus
Where it lives
Sub-Saharan African (except northeastern, southern) wooded savanna, fields and villages: southern Mauritania east to northern Eritrea, western, Ethiopia south to west-central Angola, far northern Namibia, northern Zimbabwe and Malawi; also Bioko (northeastern Gulf of Guinea Is.)
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
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Grey-headed 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 Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) is a species of bird in the Passeridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sub-Saharan African (except ne, s) wooded savanna, fields and villages: s Mauritania e to n Eritrea, w, Ethiopia s to wc Angola, far n Namibia, n Zimbabwe and Malawi; also Bioko (ne Gulf of Guinea Is.).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.9 cm and a tail of around 5.9 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 10.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 27.8 g.
Where does the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow live?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sub-Saharan African (except ne, s) wooded savanna, fields and villages: s Mauritania e to n Eritrea, w, Ethiopia s to wc Angola, far n Namibia, n Zimbabwe and Malawi; also Bioko (ne Gulf of Guinea Is.), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow belong to?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow eat?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow migrate?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Northern Grey-headed 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 Northern Grey-headed Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Grey-headed 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 Northern Grey-headed Sparrow's range?
The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 10.5 million 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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