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Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer griseus (Vieillot, LJP 1817)
The northern grey-headed sparrow, also known as the grey-headed sparrow, is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, which is resident in much of tropical Africa. It occurs in a wide range of open habitats, including open woodlands and human habitation, often occupying the same niche as the house sparrow does in Eurasia. Source: Wikipedia
Photo powered by flickr.com.
Passeriformes
Family:
Passeridae
Genus:
Passer
Scientific:
Passer griseus
Classification
Order:Passeriformes
Family:
Passeridae
Genus:
Passer
Scientific:
Passer griseus
Original description
Citation:
(Vieillot, LJP 1817)
Reference:
Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. nouv. éd.
12 p.198
Protonym:
Fringilla grisea
Type locality:
United States [error = Senegal (Lafresnaye, 1839, Rev. Zool., p. 95)].
Link:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/60160#page/212/mode/1up
Avibase identifiers
Avibase ID:
E10D08098750A22D
Avibase ID:
avibase-E10D0809
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/E10D0809
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 561879
Geographic range:
- Passer griseus: lowland and foothill grassland, savanna, and villages from southern Mauritania and Senegal eastward across the Sahel to central Sudan, eastern Eritrea, and eastern Ethiopia, and southward to northern Namibia, northern Botswana, northwestern Zimbabwe, and northern Mozambique, also Bioko (Gulf of Guinea); confusion with P. diffusus affects range limits in Tanzania
- Passer griseus griseus: southern Mauritania and Senegal to Cameroon, western Central African Republic, and southern Chad, southward to northern Gabon
- Passer griseus ugandae: eastern Sudan, Eritrea and northwestern Ethiopia southward to southern Gabon, Angola, northern Namibia, northern Zimbabwe, Malawi, and central Tanzania
- Passer griseus laeneni: Mali to far northern Cameroon and west-central Sudan
Source: Clements checklist
Grey-headed Sparrow
Afrikaans:
Witkeelmossie
Azerbaijani:
bozbaş sərçə
Bulgarian:
Белогърло врабче
Catalan:
pardal gris
Czech:
vrabec šedohlavý
Danish:
Gråhovedet Spurv
German:
Graukopfsperling
Greek:
Σταχτoσπoυργίτης
Esperanto:
grizkapa pasero
Spanish:
Gorrión Gris
Spanish (Spain):
Gorrión gris
Estonian:
hallvarblane
Finnish:
tuhkavarpunen
French:
Moineau gris
Hebrew:
דרור אפור-ראש
Croatian:
sivoglavi vrabac
Hungarian:
szürkefejű veréb
Italian:
Passera testagrigia settentrionale
Japanese (romaji):
haigashirasuzume
Japanese:
ハイガシラスズメ
Lithuanian:
Pilkagalvis žvirblis
Latvian:
Pelēkgalvas zvirbulis
Dutch:
Grijskopmus
Norwegian Nynorsk:
Landsbysporv
Norwegian:
Landsbyspurv
Polish:
wróbel siwogłowy
Portuguese:
pardal-de-cabeça-cinzenta
Portuguese (Portugal):
pardal-de-cabeça-cinzenta
Romanian:
Vrabie sură
Russian:
Сероголовый воробей
Slovak:
vrabec sivohlavý
Slovenian:
Sivoglavi vrabec
Serbian:
Sivoglavi vrabac
Swedish:
bysparv
Turkish:
Kuzeyli bozbaş serçe
Ukrainian:
Горобець сіроголовий
Chinese:
灰头麻雀
Chinese (Traditional):
灰頭麻雀
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
| African Bird Club Checklist 2004: Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| African Bird Club Checklist August 2005: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| African Bird Club Checklist March 2007: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| African Bird Club Checklist January 2008: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| African Bird Club Checklist May 2009: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| African Bird Club Checklist March 2010: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2025 (Nov 2025): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Avilist 2025: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 00: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 01: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 02: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 03: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 04: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v10 (Oct 2025): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Moineau gris ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 1st edition: Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2021: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2022: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2023: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2024: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2025: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 4th edition: Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (as published): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition: Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2015: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2016: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2017: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2018: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2019: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.50: Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.52: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.53: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.54: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.55: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2015: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2016: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2017: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2018: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2019: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2021: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2022: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2023: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2024: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2025: Northern Gray-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16): Common Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Common Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 15.1: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 15.2: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Sibley and Monroe (1993): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998): Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0: Grey-headed Sparrow ( Passer griseus) [version 1] |
| Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Passer griseus [version 1] |
| Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Passer griseus [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species (sometimes nominal subspecies)
This taxon is considered a subspecies of
Passer [griseus, swainsonii, gongonensis or suahelicus]
(sensu lato) by some authors
Your sightings
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
Afrikaans: Witkeelmossie, Witkeelmossie (Noordelike Gryskopmossie)
Azerbaijani: bozbaş sərçə
Belarusian: Шэрагаловы верабей
Bulgarian: Белогърло врабче
Catalan: Pardal capgrís, pardal gris
Czech: Vrabec šedohlavý
Welsh: Golfan penllwyd
Danish: Gråhovedet Spurv
German: Graukopfsperling
Greek: Σταχτoσπoυργίτης
English: Common Grey-headed Sparrow, Gray headed Sparrow, Gray sparrow, Gray-headed Sparrow, Grey headed Sparrow, Grey sparrow, Grey-headed Sparrow, Northern Gray-headed Sparrow, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Somali Gray-headed Sparrow, Somali Grey-headed Sparrow, Sudan Gray-headed Sparrow, Sudan Grey-headed Sparrow, Uganda Gray-headed Sparrow, Uganda Grey-headed Sparrow
English (Avilist): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
English, HBW: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
English (IOC): Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
English (Kenya): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
English (United States): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Esperanto: Grizkapa pasero
Spanish: Gorrión de Cabeza Gris, Gorrión Gris
Spanish (Spain): Gorrión gris
Spanish (HBW): Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Estonian: hallvarblane
Finnish: Tuhkavarpunen
French: Moineau à tête grise, Moineau gris
French (Guyane): Moineau gris
Frisian: Griiskopmosk
Irish: Gealbhan ceannliath
Galician: Pardal cincento
Hebrew: דרור אפור-ראש
Croatian: sivoglavi vrabac
Hungarian: szürkefejű veréb
Italian: Passera testagrigia, Passera testagrigia settentrionale, Passero testagrigia
Japanese (romaji): haigashirasuzume
Japanese: ハイガシラスズメ
Mongolian, Halh: саарал толгойт боршувуу
Scientific: Fringilla grisea, Passer griseus, Passer griseus griseus
Lithuanian: Pilkagalvis žvirblis
Latvian: Pelēkgalvas zvirbulis
Mongolian: саарал толгойт боршувуу
Maltese: għasfur tal-bejt ta' sidru griż
Dutch: Grijskopmus
Norwegian Nynorsk: Landsbysporv
Norwegian: Afrikansk gråhodespurv, Landsbyspurv
Polish: wróbel siwoglowy, wróbel siwogłowy
Portuguese: Pardal de cabeca cinzenta, pardal-de-cabeça-cinzenta
Portuguese (Angola): Pardal-de-cabeça-cinzenta-do-norte
Portuguese (Portugal): pardal-de-cabeça-cinzenta
Rhaeto-Romance: Pasler dal chau grisch
Romanian: Vrabie sură
Russian: Сероголовый воробей
Northern Sami: Gávpotcihci
Slovak: vrabec sivohlavý
Slovenian: Sivoglavi vrabec
Serbian: Sivoglavi vrabac
Swedish: Bysparv
Swahili: Jurawa, Shomoro Jurawa, Shorewanda
Turkish: Grikbaşlı serçe, Kuzeyli bozbaş serçe
Ukrainian: Горобець сіроголовий
Kalmyk: буурл богшурһа
Chinese: 灰头麻雀
Chinese (Traditional): 灰頭麻雀
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