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 →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Swahili Sparrow sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 37 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Lake Manyara National Park
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer griseus
Chestnut Sparrow
Passer eminibey
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Passer rufocinctus
Parrot-billed Sparrow
Passer gongonensis
Yellow-spotted Petronia
Gymnoris pyrgita
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Rufous-tailed Weaver
Histurgops ruficauda
Gray-headed Social-Weaver
Pseudonigrita arnaudi
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
African Pied Wagtail
Motacilla aguimp
📅 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 Lake Manyara National Park?
About 12% of wildlife watchers report a Swahili Sparrow sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 37 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Swahili Sparrow in Lake Manyara National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Swahili Sparrow in Lake Manyara National Park in our monthly data.