Desert Sparrow Passer simplex Scientific name definitions

13·5–15 cm; 18–21 g. Pale , long-legged sparrow with characteristic upright posture . Male nominate race is pale grey above, sometimes with faint sandy tinge, ear-coverts and cheeks white, lores black, extensive black bib from chin to upper breast; lesser upperwing-coverts same as back, median coverts white, greater coverts black with broad white tips, alula and primary-coverts mostly black, flight-feathers blackish with pale grey to whitish edges, small white patch at base of primaries (often concealed); tail blackish, feathers edged white, central rectrices tipped white; underparts whitish buff; iris brown; bill horn-coloured, becoming black in breeding season; legs pale pinkish or pinkish brown. Female is a nondescript pale sandy or sandy-buff colour, paler below, and lacking any distinct features; wing much as male’s, but dark areas paler and more sandy brown. Juvenile resembles female. Race <em>saharae</em> is larger and paler than nominate, but some doubts exist as to its validity.

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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.

Arid sandy areas with scattered trees  and bushes, e.g. tamarisks (Tamarix articulate), date palms (Phoenix dactylifera), retama (Raetama raetam), drinn (Aristida pungens), Acacia raddiana, Capparis decidua and Colligonium comosum. Frequents oases and shrubby growth in wadis and inhabited areas.

Erratic, at times common in some areas and rare or absent in others; probably at most only an occasional visitor to Egypt.

Mainly seeds of desert bushes and ground vegetation, grass seeds (e.g. Panicum turgidum), including those of cultivated cereals. Nestlings probably fed invertebrates, as in P. zarudnyi. Takes a higher proportion of animal matter than do other sparrows (shorter alimentary tract compared with that of congeners). Probably obtains most of its water from food, but does visit water supplies. Collects most of food on ground, but spends most of its time in trees. Forages in pairs and small groups; also in small flocks outside breeding season.

Call harsh ”tchip” or slightly rolled “chrip” or “drip”. Song a high-pitched, shrill “tyi” or “tyi-tyit”, alternating with downslurred “tyaa” or “tween”, sometimes in five-note phrase, e.g. “tyi tyi tyi tyi tweeuw”, has been described as similar to that of White Wagtail (Motacilla alba). In flight a quiet twitter, similar to that of European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris). Threat call a guttural chattering “chit-it-it”.

Season Feb–Aug, but mainly from mid or late Mar and in late Oct (S Morocco); possibly two broods. Breeds solitarily or in small colonies, four or five nests in one tree. Nest built by both sexes, domed, with entrance sloping up to nest cup, an irregular mass of dry grass and small twigs, lined with soft plant material and feathers, placed in branches of tree, e.g. acacia (Acacia), or in base of large nest of crow (Corvidae) or bird of prey (e.g. large vultures), more often in hole in tree, wall  or deserted building. Clutch 2–5 (rarely six) white eggs spotted and blotched with browns and greys  , mean size 19·2 mm × 13·5 mm; incubation by both sexes, period 12–13 days, starting with first egg; chicks fed by both parents, nestling period 12–14 days.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally common; rare in E of range. Erratic use of different nesting areas makes it difficult to know if populations stable or decreasing; this emphasized by recent rediscovery of species in region of type locality, in N Sudan, where it was thought to have become extinct. In Sahara , tends to abandon a locality after having bred there for some years, and to appear in entirely new one. In recent years, it has been suggested on several occasions that some populations of saharae in SE Morocco (especially during the last five years) and S Algeria may be decreasing. Can cause damage to cereal crops.