[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Passeridae | [latin] Passer hemileucus | [UK] Abd al-Kuri Sparrow | [FR] Moineau de Socotra | [DE] Socotrasperling | [ES] Gorrion de Socotora | [NL] Socotramus
Subspecies
Monotypic species
Physical charateristics
Male is chestnut with grey upperparts, streaked on back, chestnut supercilium curving down behind ear-coverts, and blackish stripe curving around rear of ear-coverts. Upperwing is blackish to dark brown, feathers edged buffish to warm brown, lesser coverts chestnut, grey tips on median coverts, narrow buff tips on greater coverts, and small pale patch at base of primaries. Female is slightly smaller, with pale brown or warm buff colouring replacing chestnut colouring on the male.
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 13 | cm | size max.: | 14 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 2 | eggs min.: | 2 | ||
| eggs max.: | 5 |
Range
Africa : Abd al-Kuri Island, West of Socotra. Passer hemileucus is found on the island of Abd al Kuri, Socotra Archipelago, Yemen
Habitat
flock of roughly 100 birds were sighted scavenging amongst refuse. Individuals are thought to roost in vegetation in the foothills of limestone mountains
Reproduction
Breeding season from November to April. Usually two broods. Breeds in colonies of up to ten pairs. The nest is an untidy construction made out of dead grass and placed in a hole in a cliff, a house or tree, also openly in branches of a thorny tree. Lays 3 eggs.
Feeding habits
The diet is thought to include the seeds of grasses and small plants, and water is obtained almost totally from its diet
Conservation
This newly-split species is classified as Vulnerable as it is estimated to have a small population which is known from very few locations. If its population is judged to be smaller or declining the species may be uplisted in the future.
Migration
Resident throughout range.
Distribution map
