Pale Rockfinch
Carpospiza brachydactyla
A unique passerine that resembles a sparrow, finch, or lark, elongated and neat looking. Very plain overall with pale sandy-gray plumage, two rather prominent whitish wingbars, and a long conical bill. Breeds in semi-arid rocky hills and mountains, often nomadic. During migration found in a variety of open and arid habitats. Song is a distinctive cicada-like "Zzzziiiiiiiii… zzzziiiiiiiii…," given from a prominent low perch such as a bush, rock, or low tree.
Identification
The pale rockfinch or pale rock sparrow (Carpospiza brachydactyla) is a small sparrow found in the Middle East and Central Asia. It is the only member of the genus Carpospiza. Some authorities include it in the genus Petronia. Others have placed it in the finch family due to some similarities in behaviour and form, but the anatomy of its tongue exhibits characteristic sparrow features. The range of pale rockfinch extends from eastern Turkey to Afghanistan, and south into the Arabian Peninsula and northern Africa as far as Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and temperate grassland. The breeding pattern of the pale rock sparrow is associated with specific aspects of habitat. Presence of this species is associated with temperature, grasshopper and beetle abundance, whereas density is associated with available habitat. Since available habitat plays a role on the density of pale rockfinches, rapidly growing villages and cultivation are a threat to the population.
Taxonomy
Genus: Carpospiza; Family: Passeridae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Carpospiza brachydactyla
- Authority
- (Bonaparte, 1850)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passeridae
- Genus
- Carpospiza
Range and habitat
Breeding range: PAL : sc Palearctic in arid bushy broken terrain: sc, se Turkey through Armenia and w, s Azerbaijan to Iran, s Turkmenistan and wc Afghanistan, patchily s through Syria to s Israel, to n, c Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Musandam Pen. (n, c, e Arabian Pen.). Non-breeding range: to ne African semidesert and fields: s Arabian Pen., e Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and ne Ethiopia.
- Breeding range
- PAL : sc Palearctic in arid bushy broken terrain: sc, se Turkey through Armenia and w, s Azerbaijan to Iran, s Turkmenistan and wc Afghanistan, patchily s through Syria to s Israel, to n, c Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Musandam Pen. (n, c, e Arabian Pen.)
- Non-breeding range
- to ne African semidesert and fields: s Arabian Pen., e Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and ne Ethiopia
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo
Vireolanius leucotis
Large and striking vireo with stout hooked bill. Olive above and yellow below with distinctive gray-and-yellow head pattern and staring green eye. Sexes similar. Fairly widely distributed in northern South America, where it ranges from lowlands to subtropical forest, up to about 1,800 m. Not easy to see because it stays high in the canopy, where its repetitive whistle is often the harbinger of an incoming mixed-species flock.
Marbled Frogmouth
Podargus ocellatus
Large, nocturnal bird with very wide "frog-like" bill, an inhabitant of rainforest habitats. Compared to similar Tawny Frogmouth (often found in urban and suburban areas), Marbled has longer tail in proportion to its body, longer barred tufts above the bill, and a more blobby or marbled pattern on the underparts. Unusual call is a descending, turkey-like gobble, followed by a loud snap of the bill.
Yellow-breasted Warbling-Antbird
Hypocnemis subflava
Small short-tailed antbird of understory of dense humid forest. Yellow with black streaking, belly usually a duller yellowish tan. Distinguished from Peruvian Warbling-Antbird by its brighter yellow plumage. Typically found in dense viny habitats along rivers or forest clearings; where bamboo is present, largely restricted to this habitat. Often in pairs, but only rarely joins mixed species flocks. Song almost identical to Peruvian Warbling-Antbird, but some calls differ; in areas of overlap, they are typically found in different habitats: Yellow-breasted found in bamboo and dense secondary growth, Peruvian found in tree fall gaps and along streams in more mature rainforest.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.