Northern Gray-headed Sparrow Passer griseus Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm; 18–43 g. Nominate race has head and neck ash-grey, mantle and upper back grey-brown, lower back and rump dull chestnut, shoulder cinnamon-red; upperwing-coverts rusty, inner median coverts variably white, flight-feathers black with rusty edgings; tail brown with paler edges; chin and throat white, sharply demarcated from grey underparts, belly to undertail-coverts slightly paler grey; iris brown; bill black to brownish-horn; legs grey-brown or tinged slightly pinkish. Distinguished from most other members of superspecies mainly by sharply defined white throat patch. Sexes alike. Juvenile is like adult, but duller and browner, mantle slightly streaked, no white in wing-coverts, bill horn-coloured. Race <em>ugandae</em> is darker than nominate, with head grey-brown, white bib well defined, belly whiter; laeneni is much paler, underparts white, bib poorly differentiated.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Largely granivorous, taking seeds of grasses and cultivated cereals; also small fruits; in urban habitats takes household scraps. Nestlings fed with variety of insects, including weevils (Curculionidae), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), ants (Formicidae) and flying termites (Isoptera). In urban areas, collects insects that have been attracted to lights at night and later lie dead on ground below. In pairs, small groups and flocks; larger gatherings outside breeding season.

Call of male at nest a variety of harsh chirps, transcribed variously as "chip", "chirp", "cheerp" or "tyep"; notes can be strung together with more liquid ones, such as "twee", to form rather scratchy song. Alarm a dry churring "cher-it-it-it".

Breeds in all months of year, coinciding with local rains, but prolonged in areas with irrigated cultivation; normally three broods. Generally in loose colonies; occasionally solitary. Nest built by both sexes, domed, with entrance on side, an untidy accumulation of dead grasses, lined with feathers, placed in tree; nests also in variety of more concealed sites, such as hole in tree or building , hollow steel girder or pipe. Clutch 3–4 eggs, occasionally 2; incubation by female, period c. 16 days; chicks fed by both parents, nestling period c. 19 days.