- Passer diffusus
Identification
Length 15-16 cm, mass 24 g. The head is grey, the back brown, and the rump is bright rufous and conspicuous in flight. The wings have short, but usually obvious white wingbars. White to pale grey underparts. The eyes, legs and feet are brown, and the bill is black when breeding (horn when not breeding). In the northern extremity of its range (north of 19° S), it is easily confused with the very similar Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, which is slightly heavier with a longer tail and longer bill. The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is also darker, with a less-distinct wing-bar.
Distribution
South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, Zambia, and southern Malawi.
Taxonomy
There are two subspecies: P. d. diffusus from north-western South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, western Zimbabwe, southern and south-western Angola, and western Zambia; and P. d. stygiseps from southern and eastern South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, eastern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, Zambia, and southern Malawi. P. d. stygiseps is darker above than the nominate with duller breast and flanks.
Habitat
Savanna woodland and plantation edges. Often found near settlements and in cropping areas.
Behaviour
Often solitary or in pairs, but can congregate in flocks of up to 200 in winter. Forages on the ground, often in mixed-species flocks of seed-eaters. Food is mainly seeds, but also small fruit, nectar and insects.
References: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 0620340533
