Desert sparrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert sparrow |
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| Male in Morocco | |
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| The ranges of the desert sparrow and Zarudny's sparrow |
The desert sparrow (Passer simplex) is a small bird from the sparrow family. It lives in the Sahara Desert in northern Africa.
There's a similar bird called Zarudny's sparrow that lives in Central Asia. For a long time, people thought it was just a type of desert sparrow. But now, experts like BirdLife International say it's a completely different species. This is because it has many differences.
The desert sparrow has two main types, called subspecies. They both live in the very dry parts of the Sahara Desert. Even though their homes are sometimes destroyed, experts say the desert sparrow is a species of 'least concern'. This means there are still plenty of them around, and they are not in danger of disappearing. Zarudny's sparrow is also in this group.
About the Desert Sparrow
The desert sparrow is quite friendly and not afraid of people. It sometimes builds its nests in the muddy walls of houses.
Friendship with People
The Mozabite Berbers are a group of people who live in the Sahara. They build their homes with special holes in the walls. These holes are there to welcome the desert sparrows! They call these birds "bar-rode." If a sparrow sings all day in their house, they believe it's a sign of good news.
The Tuareg are another group of people in the desert. They call the bird "moula-moula." They also believe that if a desert sparrow comes to stay near their camp, it brings good news.
Images for kids
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A pair of the subspecies P. s. saharae near Benichab, Mauritania
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Eggs of Passer simplex saharae from the collections of the MHNT
