font settings

Font Size: Large | Normal | Small
Font Face: Verdana | Geneva | Georgia

Passeridae

(Family)

Overview

[ Back to top ]

True sparrows, the sparrows in the family Passeridae, are small passerine birds. As eight or more species nest in or near buildings, and the House Sparrow and Eurasian Tree Sparrow in particular inhabit cities in large numbers, sparrows may be the most familiar of all wild birds.1]

Characteristics and Classification

[ Back to top ]

Generally, sparrows tend to be small, plump brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby, powerful beaks. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. They are primarily seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects. A few species scavenge for food around cities and, like gulls or pigeons, will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities. Members of this family range in size from the Chestnut Sparrow (Passer eminibey), at 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and 13.4 g., to the Parrot-billed Sparrow (Passer gongonensis), at 18 cm (7 inches) and 42 g. (1.5 oz). Sparrows are physically similar to other seed-eating birds, such as finches, but have a vestigial dorsal outer primary feather and an extra bone in the tongue.[2]

The Old World true sparrows are indigenous to Europe, Africa and Asia. In Australia and the Americas, early settlers imported some species which quickly naturalised, particularly in urban and degraded areas. House Sparrows, for example, are now found throughout North America, in every state of Australia except Western Australia, and over much of the heavily populated parts of South America.

Some authorities previously classified the related estrildid finches of the Old World tropics and Australasia as members of the Passeridae.[3] Like the true sparrows, the estrildid finches are small, gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are broadly similar in structure and habits, but tend to be very colorful and vary greatly in their plumage. There are about 140 species. The 2008 Christidis and Boles taxonomic scheme lists the estrildid finches as the separate family Estrildidae, leaving just the true sparrows in Passeridae.[3]

American sparrows, or New World sparrows, are in a different family, Emberizidae, despite some physical resemblance such as the seed-eater's bill and frequently well-marked heads.

The Hedge Sparrow or Dunnock (Prunella modularis) is similarly unrelated. It is a sparrow in name only, a relic of the old practice of calling any small bird a "sparrow".

Italian Sparrow chick

Species List in Taxonomic Order

[ Back to top ]
Painting of Black-winged Snowfinches.
Juvenile House sparrow

This is a list of sparrow species, presented in taxonomic order.

Cultural References

[ Back to top ]

Old World sparrows in literature are usually House Sparrows.

Mountain Magpie, Sparrows and Bramble, by the Chinese artist Huang Zhucai (933–after 993), Song Dynasty.

Songs About Sparrows

Photos

[ Back to top ]

Taxonomy

[ Back to top ]

The Family Passeridae is a member of the Superfamily Passeroidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Passeridae:

The Family Passeridae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

[ Back to top ]

Amadina

Amadina is a of African munias consisting of the following species: [more]

Amandava

Amandava is a genus of the . These birds are found in dense grass or scrub in Africa and South Asia. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, red bills. In earlier literature, amadavat and amidavad have been used. The name amandava, along with amadavat and amidavad are all corruptions of Ahmadabad, a city in Gujurat, India from where the first few specimens of the Red Munia Amandava amandava were obtained. The members are: [more]

Amblyospiza

The Grosbeak Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) is a species of in the Ploceidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Amblyospiza. [more]

Anaplectes

The Red-headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps) is a species of in the Ploceidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Anaplectes. [more]

Anomalospiza

The Parasitic Weaver (Anomalospiza imberbis) is a species of in the Viduidae family. The species is also known as the Cuckoo Finch. [more]

Anthus

The pipits are a genus of small birds with medium to long tails. The genus has more than three dozen species. Along with the wagtails and longclaws, the pipits make up the family Motacillidae. [more]

Bubalornis

Bubalornis is a genus of in the Ploceidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Chloebia

The Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae (or Chloebia gouldiae), also known as the Lady Gouldian Finch, Gould's Finch or Rainbow Finch , is a colorful bird endemic to Australia. There is strong evidence of a continuing decline, even at the best-known site near Katherine in the Northern Territory. It is bred in captivity, but in 1992 it was classified as ENDANGERED under criteria C2ai. This was due to the fact that a: the viable population size was estimated to be less than 2,500 mature individuals and b: no permanent subpopulation was known to contain more than 250 mature individuals and finally c: that a continuing decline was observed in the number of mature individuals. It is currently subject to a conservation program. [more]

Cryptospiza

The crimson-wings (Cryptospiza) are a of small passerine birds belonging to the estrildid finch family Estrildidae. There are four species. They are found in parts of Africa, particularly the Albertine Rift; all four species occur there and two, Shelley's and Dusky Crimson-wings, are found nowhere else. They are secretive birds which mainly inhabit mountain forests with dense undergrowth. They usually forage on or near the ground, feeding mainly on seeds such as those of grasses and balsam. [more]

Dinemellia

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Emblema

The Painted Firetail, Emblema pictum, is a common species of found in Australia. It is also known as the Painted Finch or the Painted Firetail Finch. It is the only species in the genus Emblema. [more]

Erythrura

Parrotfinches are small, colorful birds belonging to the genus Erythrura in the family Estrildidae, the estrildid finches. They occur from South-east Asia to New Guinea, northern Australia and many Pacific Islands. They inhabit forest, bamboo thickets and grassland and some can be found in man-made habitats such as farmland, parks and gardens. Several species are commonly kept as cagebirds. [more]

Estrilda

Estrilda is a of finch in the Estrildidae family. Most of the genus is found in Africa with one species, the Arabian Waxbill, ranging into Asia. Some species are kept as pets and have been accidentally introduced to various parts of the world. It contains the following species: [more]

Euplectes

Euplectes is a of passerine bird in the weaver family, Ploceidae. It contains the bishops and widowbirds. They are all native to Africa south of the Sahara. [more]

Euschistospiza

Euschistospiza is a of birds in the family Estrildidae, containing two species: [more]

Foudia

Fodies are small birds belonging to the genus Foudia in the weaver family Ploceidae. They are native to the islands of the western Indian Ocean where they occur on Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comoro Islands and the Mascarene Islands. The Red Fody has also been introduced to the Chagos Archipelago, Bahrain and Saint Helena. While the Red Fody is one of the most common birds of the region, several of the other fodies are considered to be threatened, particularly the Mauritius Fody which is classed as critically endangered. [more]

Histurgops

The Rufous-tailed Weaver (Histurgops ruficaudus) is a species of in the Passeridae family. It is monotypic within the genus Histurgops. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. [more]

Hypargos

Hypargos or Hypargus (from : ) may refer to: [more]

Lagonosticta

The firefinches (Lagonosticta) are a of bird in the Estrildidae family. There are about 11 species: [more]

Lonchura

Lonchura is a of the estrildid finch family, and includes munias (or minias), mannikins, and silverbills. They are resident breeding birds in Africa and in South Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines. [more]

Macronyx

The longclaws are a genus of small birds with long tails, which they wag frequently. They are restricted to Africa [more]

Malimbus

Malimbus is a genus of in the Ploceidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Mandingoa

The Green-backed Twinspot (Mandingoa nitidula) is an found in sub-saharan Africa. This species is evaluated as Least Concern. [more]

Montifringilla

The snowfinches make up the bird genus Montifringilla. Despite their common name, they are Old World sparrows (family Passeridae), not true finches (family Fringillidae). The genus is sometimes split into three. [more]

Motacilla

The wagtails form the bird genus Motacilla. They are small birds with long tails which they wag frequently. Motacilla, the root of the family and genus name, means moving tail. The Forest Wagtail belongs to the monotypic genus Dendronanthus which is closely related to Motacilla and sometimes included herein. [more]

Neochmia

Neochmia is a genus of found in Australasia. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. The members are: [more]

Nesocharis

Nesocharis is a genus of found in Africa. [more]

Nigrita

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Oreostruthus

The Mountain Firetail Oreostruthus fuliginosus is a common species of found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 20,000-50,000 km². It is the only species in the genus Oreostruthus. [more]

Ortygospiza

Ortygospiza is a of the estrildid finches. These birds are found in open grasslands in Africa. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, red bills. They are very terrestrial, with lark-like feet and claws. [more]

Padda

Padda is a genus of restricted to islands in southern Indonesia. [more]

Parmoptila

The antpeckers, Parmoptila, are a of songbirds that range across the tropical forests of central Africa. This genus has been placed in a number of families; at present it is placed tentatively with the estrildid finches due to similarities in breeding behaviour. [more]

Passer

Passer is a genus of sparrows. Most of its members are found naturally in open habitats in the warmer climates of Africa and southern Eurasia. Several species have adapted to human habitation, and this has enabled the House Sparrow in particular, invariably in close association with man, to extend its Eurasian range well beyond what was probably its original home in the Middle East. [more]

Petronia

Petronia is the name of a of sparrows, also known as rock sparrows. [more]

Philetairus

The Sociable Weaver or Social Weaver (Philetairus socius) is a species of in the Ploceidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Philetairus. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. [more]

Phormoplectes

[more]

Plocepasser

Plocepasser is a genus of in the Passeridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Ploceus

Ploceus is a of birds in the weaver family Ploceidae. [more]

Poephila

Poephila is an genus of the estrildid finches. The members are: [more]

Prunella

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Pseudonigrita

Pseudonigrita is a genus of in the Passeridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Pyrenestes

The seedcrackers are the genus Pyrenestes of the . These birds are found in Africa. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, very thick, grey bills. All have crimson on the face and tail. The members are: [more]

Pyrgilauda

Pytilia

Pytilia is a of birds in the family Estrildidae, containing four species: [more]

Quelea

Quelea is a genus of songbirds, order . The most significant species is Quelea quelea, the Red-billed Quelea of Africa, said to be the most numerous bird species in the world. [more]

Spermophaga

The bluebills are the genus Spermophaga of the . These birds are found in tropical Africa. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, blue and red bills. All have plumage which is mainly crimson and black or dark grey. [more]

Sporopipes

Sporopipes is a genus of in the Passeridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Stizoptera

[more]

Taeniopygia

Taeniopygia is a genus of in the family Estrildidae. It contains Australian finches. [more]

Uraeginthus

Uraeginthus is a genus of in the Estrildidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Uroloncha

Vidua

See also for the pirate ship and Ouidah for the town in Benin. [more]

At least 46 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Vidua.

More info about the Genus Vidua may be found here.

References

[ Back to top ]
  1. ^ Clement, Peter; Colston, P. R. (2003). "Sparrows and Snowfinches". in Perrins, Christopher. The Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books. pp. 590–591. ISBN 1-55297-777-3. 
  2. ^ Bledsoe, A.H. & Payne, R.B. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph. ed. Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. pp. 222. ISBN 1-85391-186-0. 
  3. ^ a b Christidis L, Boles WE (2008). Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. Canberra: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 177. ISBN 9780643065116. 

Sources

[ Back to top ]
Last Revised: September 22, 2009
2009/09/22 13:40:17