Sahel Bush Sparrow
Gymnoris dentata
A drab sparrow of dry country. Males have a mostly gray head with a rufous eyebrow. Females have a broad pale eyebrow. Both sexes have a white throat. Found in savanna and broadleaf woodland. Similar to Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, but separated by the eyebrow mark and the smaller size. Female is similar to female sparrows such as House Sparrow, but has a longer bill and a broader pale eyebrow stripe. The call is a ringing “chree,” often given in rapid series.
Identification
The Sahel bush sparrow is a small bird with a large, conical beak and a short tail. It grows to a length of about 13 cm (5 in). The male has a grey crown, a wide but ill-defined reddish-brown supercilium and greyish-brown face and throat, surrounding the creamy-white bib. The male's beak is black during the breeding season but horn-coloured during the rest of the year. The plumage on the upper parts and tail is mainly brown, with no white on the tail. The upper throat has an ill-defined yellowish spot and the breast is creamy-buff, becoming whiter on the belly. The female is similar, but has a better-defined white supercilium, brownish rather than grey crown and face, horn-coloured beak all year round and two white wing bars. The juvenile is similar to the female.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Gymnoris dentata
- Authority
- (Sundevall, 1850)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passeridae
- Genus
- Gymnoris
Range and habitat
This bush sparrow is found in suitable habitat in a broad belt across the Sahel region of Africa, its range extending from Senegal to Eritrea and Yemen. Its habitat is typically semi-arid savannah with scattered trees and cultivated clearings near settlements, at altitudes up to about 1,700 m (5,600 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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