Chestnut Sparrow
Chestnut SparrowChestnut SparrowChestnut SparrowChestnut Sparrow

Chestnut Sparrow

Passer eminibey

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Meru National Park
8 Verified records at Meru National Park
October 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 →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut Sparrow sighting in Meru National Park, based on 8 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Meru National Park

Parrot-billed Sparrow
LC

Parrot-billed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer gongonensis

50–60% · Likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

80–90% · Very likely
Yellow-spotted Petronia
LC

Yellow-spotted Petronia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnoris pyrgita

20–30% · Possible
Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
LC

Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser donaldsoni

5–10% · With luck
Black-capped Social-Weaver
LC

Black-capped Social-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pseudonigrita cabanisi

Insufficient data
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

80–90% · Very likely
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
LC

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dinemellia dinemelli

80–90% · Very likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

70–80% · Very likely
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
LC

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bubalornis niger

70–80% · Very likely
Northern White-crowned Shrike
LC

Northern White-crowned Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eurocephalus ruppelli

60–70% · Likely
Chestnut Weaver
LC

Chestnut Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ploceus rubiginosus

60–70% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
5–10
May
10–20
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
10–20
Oct
<5
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 Meru National Park?

About 7% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut Sparrow sighting in Meru National Park, based on 8 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Chestnut Sparrow in Meru National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Chestnut Sparrow in Meru National Park in our monthly data.

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