Chestnut Sparrow
Chestnut SparrowChestnut SparrowChestnut SparrowChestnut Sparrow

Chestnut Sparrow

Passer eminibey

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Masai Mara National Reserve
53 Verified records at Masai Mara National Reserve
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The chestnut sparrow (Passer eminibey) is a species of passerine bird in the sparrow family Passeridae. It is the smallest member of the sparrow family, at about 11 cm (4.3 in) long. The breeding male has deep chestnut plumage and the female and juvenile are coloured a duller grey with some chestnut markings. Like its closest relatives in the genus Passer, the Arabian golden sparrow and the Sudan golden sparrow, it is gregarious and found in arid areas. Ranging through the east of Africa from Darfur in Sudan to Tanzania, it is found in dry savanna, papyrus swamps, and near human habitation. Adults and juveniles both feed mostly on grass seeds, and fly in flocks, often with other species of birds, to find food. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut Sparrow sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 53 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
LC

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer griseus

5–10% · With luck
Swahili Sparrow
LC

Swahili Sparrow

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Passer suahelicus

5–10% · With luck
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
LC

Kenya Rufous Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer rufocinctus

5–10% · With luck
Parrot-billed Sparrow
LC

Parrot-billed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer gongonensis

Insufficient data
Gray-headed Social-Weaver
LC

Gray-headed Social-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pseudonigrita arnaudi

10–20% · With luck
Yellow-spotted Petronia
LC

Yellow-spotted Petronia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnoris pyrgita

10–20% · With luck
Rufous-tailed Weaver
LC

Rufous-tailed Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Histurgops ruficauda

5–10% · With luck
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

<5% · Rare
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

50–60% · Likely
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
LC

Rüppell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

50–60% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

50–60% · Likely
Yellow-throated Longclaw
LC

Yellow-throated Longclaw

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Macronyx croceus

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
5–10
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
2 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
3 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
4 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
5 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
6 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
7 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
8 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
9 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
10 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
11 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
12 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
13 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
14 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
15 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
16 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
17 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
18 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
19 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
20 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Chestnut Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve?

About 2% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut Sparrow sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 53 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Chestnut Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve?

November has the highest sighting rate for Chestnut Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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