Rock Sparrow
Petronia petronia
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 30.2 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 Petronia
- Species petronia
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical Palearctic in barren land, open groves and cultivation: Madeira and Canary Is. (central Macaronesia), Iberian Pen., south-central France through Turkey, Caucasus, northwestern, southeastern Kazakhstan, south-central Russia and Mongolia to Inner Mongolia (northeastern China); in south from Morocco to northwestern Libya (northwestern, north-central Africa), also Israel, western Jordan, northern Iraq, southern Iran and western Afghanistan through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to northwestern Xinjiang, and Qinghai and Gansu south through Sichuan (northwestern China)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rock Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rock Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) is a member of the Passeridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate to subtropical Palearctic in barren land, open groves and cultivation: Madeira and Canary Is. (c Macaronesia), Iberian Pen., sc France through Turkey, Caucasus, nw, se Kazakhstan, sc Russia and Mongolia to Inner Mongolia (ne China); in s from Morocco to nw Libya (nw, nc Africa), also Israel, w Jordan, n Iraq, s Iran and w Afghanistan through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to nw Xinjiang, and Qinghai and Gansu s through Sichuan (nw China).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.2 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 6 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 7.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rock Sparrow?
The Rock Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 30.2 g.
Where does the Rock Sparrow live?
The Rock Sparrow is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate to subtropical Palearctic in barren land, open groves and cultivation: Madeira and Canary Is. (c Macaronesia), Iberian Pen., sc France through Turkey, Caucasus, nw, se Kazakhstan, sc Russia and Mongolia to Inner Mongolia (ne China); in s from Morocco to nw Libya (nw, nc Africa), also Israel, w Jordan, n Iraq, s Iran and w Afghanistan through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to nw Xinjiang, and Qinghai and Gansu s through Sichuan (nw China), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Rock Sparrow belong to?
The Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rock Sparrow eat?
The Rock Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rock Sparrow migrate?
The Rock Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rock 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 Rock Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Rock 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 Rock Sparrow's range?
The Rock Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 7.8 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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Guides for this bird
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