Family Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)
Least Concern
Zarudny’s Sparrow (Passer zarudnyi)
Taxonomy
French: Moineau de Zarudny German: Turkmenensperling Spanish: Gorrión del Karakum
Other common names:
Asian Desert Sparrow
Taxonomy:
Passer simplex Zarudnyi
Pleske
, 1896,Transcaspia [= Repetek, Turkmenistan]
.Distribution:
Turkmenistan and C Uzbekistan.
Descriptive notes
13·5–15 cm. Compared to formerly conspecific P. simplex has has shorter wing and bill, and longer tail. Adult male further differs in having the facial mask... read more
Voice
Vocalizations not well known and no differences from P. simplex known, but largely... read more
Habitat
Confined to bare, rocky or sand-plain areas with sparse trees and bushes especially sand acacias (... read more
Food and feeding
Mainly seeds of desert bushes and ground vegetation, especially of Aristida pennata. Nestlings fed with beetles (Coleoptera),... read more
Breeding
Season Apr–Aug; two broods. Breeds solitarily or in small colonies, four or five nests in one tree, although these may include old... read more
Movements
Possibly some tendency for withdrawal to S in winter months, although species might be better... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Of apparently unpredictable occurrence, like formerly conspecific P. simplex, but seems much less secure than the latter... read more
Until recently (but still widely) considered conspecific with P. simplex, to which it is clearly closely related. Differs, however, in its stronger black mask (2); white fringe on forehead (ns[1]); pale grey vs pale sandy crown to back, rump, and fringes on wings and tail (1); female like male (3); apparently shorter wing but longer tail (mean of 4 male tails 59.75 mm vs 53.6 in 10 male P. s. saharae and 53 in 2 male P. s. simplex; allow 1). Vocal studies desirable. Monotypic.