| Spanish Sparrow | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Inopinaves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Family: | Passeridae |
| Genus: | Passer |
| Species: | P. hispaniolensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Passer hispaniolensis (Temminck, 1820) | |
female
Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis is a species of sparrow found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Forms a superspecies with House Sparrow, P. domesticus and Italian Sparrow, P. italiae, and the three sometimes considered conspecific.[2]
| Click for other names | |
|---|---|
| Other common names | Willow Sparrow |
Description[]
Hybridises with the House Sparrow to form the Italian Sparrow, which is classed as a separate species.[3][4]
Similar species[]
-Italian Sparrow -House sparrow -Eurasian Tree-Sparrow
Behaviour[]
Gregarious and thermophil bird, often seen in small flocks.
Diet[]
This sparrow's bill is heavier than the House Sparrow's, infact it can break bigger seeds. It also eats insects and berries, and feeds the chicks with insects.
Calls[]
Similar to the House sparrow's and to the Italian Sparrow's, but have a more metallic tone.
Reproduction[]
It nests in bushes.
Distribution/habitat[]
This sparrow is a typical Mediterranean species, found in North Africa, South Italy,
the male sparrow in the left of this photo is a hybrid between a Spanish and an Italian sparrow.
Spanish Sparrow & Dark-Eyed Junco
Spanish Sparrow & Dark-eyed Junco in the UK
References[]
- ^ BirdLife International (2009). "Passer hispaniolensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature.
- ^ Summers-Smith, D. (2016). Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/60927 on 17 February 2016).
- ^ Elgvin, T.O., J.S. Hermansen, A. Fijarczyk, T. Bonnet, T. Borge, S.A. Sæther, K.L. Voje, and G.-P. Sætre (2011), Hybrid speciation in sparrows II: a role for sex chromosomes?, Mol. Ecol. 20, 3823-3837.
- ^ Hermansen, J.S., S.A. Sæther, T.O. Elgvin, T. Borge, E. Hjelle, and G.-P. Sætre (2011), Hybrid speciation in sparrows I: phenotypic intermediacy, genetic admixture and barriers to gene flow, Mol. Ecol. 20, 3812-3822.
External links[]
| Projects | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
