From Opus

Kenya Sparrow
Photo by obasanmi

Genus: Passer

[edit] Description

Sparrows of Africa and Eurasia, introduced also in North America, South America and Australia.
They are:

• Similar in size and body structure
• The bill of the male becomes black in breeding season and horn-coloured outside breeding season (except a few with a black bill all year)
• They are social species
• They have similar behaviour (eg bathing in water and dusting in sand or dust)
• Many are associated with man

[edit] Taxonomy

Passer is a genus in the family Passeridae.
The genera Auripasser (Arabian Golden Sparrow and Sudan Golden Sparrow) and Sorella (Chestnut Sparrow) are now generally accepted to belong to this genus.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

• List of references