Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Sulaibikhat Nature Reserve, Kuwait. 06 February 2006

Spanish Sparrows are “very common winter visitors” to Kuwait, with a highest daily count of 1500 being made at Jahra Farms on 11th Jan 2002 (George Gregory, ‘The Birds of the State of Kuwait’, 2005).There a few small scattered breeding colonies in Kuwait, and a number of records of birds building nests and abandoning them before breeding.

The race seen in Kuwait is transcaspicus (Turkey, Cyprus, Middle East, eastwards as far as Tien Shan and Kunlun ranges in west China), which is described in the Helm guide ‘Finches & Sparrows’ (Clement et al, Helm,1993) as being “inseperable in the field except by range” from the nominate form “hispaniolensis” (Canary Islands across to Greece and south to North Africa), though in fresh plumage some (especially females) are said to be paler, and the chestnut on the males not so bright.

Male Spanish Sparrows achieve full breeding plumage by wear - ie yellowish-buff tips obscuring the dark throat and chestnut colours on the head are worn down over the winter, hence the difference in the males in eg Images 1 & 3. The bill also becomes completely black.

Separating female Spanish Sparrows from female House Sparrows Passer domesticus is not always easy, but they are larger with slightly larger bills (which give them a ‘bigger-headed’ look), a long pale supercilium, pale braces (note Images 6, 7, and 10), and show streaks or spots on the underparts (note especially Image 5).

Image 1

 

Image 2

 

Image 3

 

Image 4

 

Image 5

 

Image 6

 

Image 7

 

Image 8

 

Image 9

 

Image 10