Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis)

Other Names (World)
Socotra Sparrow, Abdelkuri Sparrow (hemileucus)

Family
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)

Size
13 - 14 cm

First Described (Guide)
Sclater,PL & Hartlaub 1881

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland dry shrubland and grassland, dry savanna, arable land, urban areas, rural gardens.

Range (Guide)

Yemen (B) (NB).

Islands of Socotra and Abd al Kuri in the Indian Ocean.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 250,000 (2011).

Status LC
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (2)...)

Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis) [XC547183]
by Mike Evans from Wadi Mirkoh, Socotra, Hadhramaut Governorate, Yemen (call)

Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis) [XC165703]
by Phil Gregory from Dixcem Plateau, Yemen (call, voices, wind)

Subspecies
Passer motitensis (Dowsett and Forbes-Watson 1993) has been split into six species: Great Sparrow (Passer motitensis), Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus), and Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis) following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Urban (2004) and Kirwan (2008), and White Nile Sparrow (Passer shelleyi), Kordofan Sparrow (Passer cordofanicus) and Abd al Kuri Sparrow (Passer hemileucus) following Urban (2004) and Kirwan (2008).

Forms a superspecies with Cape Verde Sparrow (Passer iagoensis), Kordofan Sparrow (Passer cordofanicus), White Nile Sparrow (Passer shelleyi), Kenya Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) and Great Sparrow (Passer motitensis). All sometimes considered conspecific.

A population on islet of Samha might warrant treatment as an additional, small subspecies of present species. Further study is required.

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

hemileucus Sclater,PL & Hartlaub 1881 - 'Abd al Kuri I (between north-eastern Somalia and Socotra). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Abd al Kuri Sparrow (Passer hemileucus).
insularis P. L. Sclater and Hartlaub, 1881 - Socotra I, including islets of Samha and Darsa.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Socotra Sparrow (Passer insularis) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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