Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer griseus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyPasseridae (Passèrids)
- GenusPasser (True Sparrows)
- SpeciesPasser griseus (Northern Grey-headed Sparrow)
The northern grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus), also known as the grey-headed sparrow, is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, which is resident in much of tropical Africa. It occurs in a wide range of open habitats, including open woodlands and human habitation, often occupying the same niche as the house sparrow does in Eurasia. The adult northern grey-headed sparrow has a pale grey head with a white moustache stripe, pale brown upperparts, whitish underparts and chestnut wings with a small white shoulder patch. The sexes are similar, but young birds are slightly duller and lack the white wing patch. There are three subspecies, differing in plumage tone, especially with regard to the darkness of the head. This sparrow is mainly resident in its range, but there is some seasonal movement, and flocks of up to 50 birds form outside the breeding season. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Bale Mountains National Park
Swainson's Sparrow
Passer swainsonii
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Abyssinian Thrush
Turdus abyssinicus
Streaky Seedeater
Crithagra striolata
Moorland Chat
Pinarochroa sordida
Tacazze Sunbird
Nectarinia tacazze
Baglafecht Weaver
Ploceus baglafecht
Abyssinian Siskin
Serinus nigriceps
Abyssinian Catbird
Parophasma galinieri
Thekla Lark
Galerida theklae
Ethiopian Cisticola
Cisticola lugubris
Brown Woodland-Warbler
Phylloscopus umbrovirens
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Northern Grey-headed Sparrow at Bale Mountains National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · 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