Spanish Sparrow (Male)
Spanish Sparrow (Female)
Spanish Sparrow (Male)
Recordings 
Scientific Name 
Passer hispaniolensis
Arabic Name 
العصفور الأندلسي
Kuwaiti name 
زرزور
Length 
15.0 cm
Least Concern
Similar species 

Information

Very common winter visitor and common resident; breeds in Kuwait. A migratory sparrow that loves to travel, feed and breed in flocks. Breeding colonies have been recorded in Kuwait after 2001 at several locations, including Sabah Al-Ahmad Natural Reserve, Abdaly Farms, Jahra Farms and other places.
Where in Kuwait 
It usually occurs in open country, often in areas which are dry or arid, and is typically found near cultivated areas. However, it also commonly inhabits moist and humid areas which are close to water and is found in the Jahra area, SAANR and at Al Abraq.
In the world 
It has an extremely large range and a population that is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. It is found in the Mediterranean region and southwest and central Asia. The Spanish Sparrow is a close relative of the House Sparrow in the genus Passer and the sparrow family Passeridae and it also hybridises freely with House Sparrow in parts of northern Africa. The western subspecies hispaniolensis breeds in parts of Iberia and North Africa, some islands, and the Balkans. The eastern subspecies transcaspicus breeds from Anatolia and Cyprus through the Middle East and Central Asia to far western China. In the Middle East it breeds through Syria and Lebanon to about as far south as Jerusalem. It breeds in eastern Turkey, but is a very rare breeder in Iraq and Kuwait.
Local threats 
Habitat loss and degradation.