Desert Sparrow

This article is about the Old World bird. For the North American bird, see Black-throated Sparrow.

Desert Sparrow
Male
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Suborder:	Passeri
Infraorder:	Passerida
Superfamily:	Passeroidea
Family:	Passeridae
Genus:	Passer
Species:	P. simplex
Binomial name
Passer simplex (Lichtenstein, 1823)
The three subspecies of Desert Sparrow

A pair of the subspecies P. s. saharae near Benichab, Mauritania

The Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae. It is found in desert and sandy areas of northern and central Africa, with a distinct subspecies in areas of Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan sometimes called the Asian Desert Sparrow or Zarudny's Sparrow (Passer (simplex) zarudnyi).

The Desert Sparrow is not afraid to come near humans and sometimes builds nests in muddy walls. The Mozabite Berbers build their homes with holes in the walls to welcome these birds, which they call "bar-rode," and if one sings all day in the house, they say this is a sign of good news.^{[citation needed]} The Tuareg, who call the bird "moula-moula," also say that this bird brings good news when it comes to stay near the camp.^{[citation needed]}

This bird is becoming scarcer.

External links

• Desert Sparrow at the Internet Bird Collection