Swahili Sparrow
Passer suahelicus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyPasseridae (Passèrids)
- GenusPasser (True Sparrows)
- SpeciesPasser suahelicus (Swahili Sparrow)
The Swahili sparrow (Passer suahelicus) is a passerine bird of the sparrow family Passeridae. It lives in the savanna of southern Kenya and Tanzania. Until recently, it was usually treated as a subspecies of the northern grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus), with which it hybridizes in southern Tanzania and possibly elsewhere. It has a more rounded head profile however, a smaller eye and the grey head plumage extends unto the mantle. In addition to the subtle physical characteristics, the Swahili sparrow also differs from the northern grey-headed sparrow in terms of habitat preference, nest construction and post-breeding behaviour. They build grass nests in Acacia trees in dry regions, and generally avoid moister coastal lowlands or uplands. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Swahili Sparrow sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer griseus
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Passer rufocinctus
Chestnut Sparrow
Passer eminibey
Parrot-billed Sparrow
Passer gongonensis
Gray-headed Social-Weaver
Pseudonigrita arnaudi
Yellow-spotted Petronia
Gymnoris pyrgita
Rufous-tailed Weaver
Histurgops ruficauda
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Superb Starling
Lamprotornis superbus
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis purpuroptera
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Macronyx croceus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
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 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 2 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 4 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 7 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | Mkomazi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Swahili Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve?
About 8% of wildlife watchers report a Swahili Sparrow sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Swahili Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve?
April has the highest sighting rate for Swahili Sparrow in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.