Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plain-backed Sparrow
Passer flaveolus
Plain-backed Sparrow (Passer flaveolus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Plain-backed Sparrow (Passer flaveolus) is a member of the Passeridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 19.4 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 flaveolus
Where it lives
Subtropical to tropical southeastern Asia in open woodland and cultivation: central, southern Myanmar to central Malay Pen. and central, southern Vietnam
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19.4 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plain-backed Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Plain-backed Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plain-backed Sparrow (Passer flaveolus) is a species of bird in the Passeridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR subtropical to tropical se Asia in open woodland and cultivation: c, s Myanmar to c Malay Pen. and c, s Vietnam.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19.4 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 5.4 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 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plain-backed Sparrow?
The Plain-backed Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 19.4 g.
Where does the Plain-backed Sparrow live?
The Plain-backed Sparrow is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR subtropical to tropical se Asia in open woodland and cultivation: c, s Myanmar to c Malay Pen. and c, s Vietnam, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Plain-backed Sparrow belong to?
The Plain-backed Sparrow (Passer flaveolus) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Plain-backed Sparrow eat?
The Plain-backed Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Plain-backed Sparrow migrate?
The Plain-backed Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plain-backed 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 Plain-backed Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Plain-backed 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 Plain-backed Sparrow's range?
The Plain-backed Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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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