Dead Sea sparrow

Passer moabiticus

Photo by Daniele Occhiato (PBase)

Common name:

Dead Sea sparrow (en); pardal-do-Mar Morto (pt); moineau de la mer Morte (fr); gorrión del Mar Muerto (es); moabsperling (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Passeridae

Range:

This species is patchily distributed, from Israel and Turkey, across the Middle East, and into Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Size:

The Dead Sea sparrow is 12-13 cm long and has a wingspan of 19-20 cm. They weigh 18 g.

Habitat:

These birds are found in arid, open areas, mostly scrubland, thick scrub, tamarisk and very sparse woodlands. They are typically found near watercourses or pools.

Diet:

They mostly eat the seeds of grasses, but also of tamarisk and papirus, and will also eat some insects.

Breeding:

Dead Sea sparrows breed in March-July. The nest is a bulky, open globular or cone-shaped structure built of stiff dry twigs, finely interwoven around the branches of a tree, lined with a thick pad of plant down, seed panicles, fibres, and feathers. There the female lays 4-5 ground-coloured eggs with brown spots. The eggs are incubated for 9-16 days and the chicks fledge 11-13 days after hatching. Each pair my produce 2-3 broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)

This species has a patchy and relatively restricted breeding range. The global population is estimated at 11.000-180.000 individuals and is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.