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Desert sparrow? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter yasamin
- Start date
Hello Yasamin. I am only a beginner to birdwatching too. The bird in the photo looks to have a wrong bill for a sparrow and the wings and tail have thin pale edges which I do not think happen on a sparrow. The bird looks very big as well when you see it next to the cherries. I have looked at the photographs of Crimson-winged Finch and I think it is more that than sparrow.
screaming piha
Well-known member
Female Desert Sparrow has a plain back. This looks like House Sparrow.
The_Partridge
Well-known member
I was thinking it could be Rock Sparrow (Rock Petronia) but I wouldn't like to put any money on it without reference to some good quality photos, or without knowing if it even occurs in Iran
I've never seen Pale Rock Sparrow so have no idea if it could look like this, or if that species occurs in Iran either
I've never seen Pale Rock Sparrow so have no idea if it could look like this, or if that species occurs in Iran either
yasamin
Active member
Thanks for your comment
ok, Part of the neck is covered with leaves So for Better identify I uploaded another photo.
KenM
Well-known member
Yasamin Hi.....I'm assuming that Passer domesticus would be much paler in your area than they are in Northern Europe?...That being the case, then this could well be House Sparrow, based on the apparant rear eye-stripe and centre crown stripe, which don't seem to fit with Desert Sparrow or Crimson-winged Finch. cheers
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
I'm really confused, and it's a real shame the wings are mostly covered up. Here's some more thoughts.
Surely it can't be a House Sparrow with those crisp almost white edges to the tail and primary tips? Bill looks better for a sparrow than a finch to me, and Crimson-winged would surely show scaly flanks in these pics? Can we rule out imm Desert Finch even? Are those really streaks on the ups, or is it parted feathers (maybe can't rule out Desert Sparrow so quickly?). But then would Desert Sparrow always show dark centred tertials? Bill colour and tail wrong for Pale Rock Sparrow? What else lives in that area? A weird race of Dead Sea Sparrow?
What on earth is it?
Can't wait till someone cracks this one. Or maybe it is just a House sprog, as Screaming Piha and Ken say. Are you confident guys?
Surely it can't be a House Sparrow with those crisp almost white edges to the tail and primary tips? Bill looks better for a sparrow than a finch to me, and Crimson-winged would surely show scaly flanks in these pics? Can we rule out imm Desert Finch even? Are those really streaks on the ups, or is it parted feathers (maybe can't rule out Desert Sparrow so quickly?). But then would Desert Sparrow always show dark centred tertials? Bill colour and tail wrong for Pale Rock Sparrow? What else lives in that area? A weird race of Dead Sea Sparrow?
What on earth is it?
Can't wait till someone cracks this one. Or maybe it is just a House sprog, as Screaming Piha and Ken say. Are you confident guys?
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The_Partridge
Well-known member
It certainly is not a Desert Sparrow, one reason being that it does not occur in Iran. Records of Desert Sparrow in Iran are a century old, and limited to a handful of records in the far eastern province, a thousand kilometres from Esfahan. There is even doubt to the accuracy of these records.
What the photographed bird is however is rather harder to say! Closest I can see is Pale Rock Sparrow, and it does look much like one of these!
When you say the bird was in Esfahan, do you mean within the city or the deserts around - if in the city, cage birds are popular there, so it could be an escapee just to muddle the picture.
What the photographed bird is however is rather harder to say! Closest I can see is Pale Rock Sparrow, and it does look much like one of these!
When you say the bird was in Esfahan, do you mean within the city or the deserts around - if in the city, cage birds are popular there, so it could be an escapee just to muddle the picture.
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Whitish wing bars can be faded out by summer to a degree, but scratching my head with this individual - I would not rule out a pale female-type House Sparrow either.
Single bird or more? Also was it sticking to this vegetation?
Single bird or more? Also was it sticking to this vegetation?
screaming piha
Well-known member
Pale Rock Sparrow has a plain back, so not that species. Rock Sparrow worth thinking about, but where are the distinctive tail and wings and bill? House Sparrow still most likely for me.
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yasamin
Active member
8 birds were vibrant that I could take pictures of it.
My was attracted to bright colors and their small size.
Ok, These were limited to this vegetation And did not see elsewhere.
Lappkrabben
Well-known member
yasamin
Active member
Hi screaming piha
I can hardly accept the possibility of House sparrow, Because They were pale than House sparrow that I saw in there.
