Passer domesticus

House Sparrows, boring I know (Click to enlarge image)

House Sparrow's are one of the most urbanised and adaptable birds in the world and do not possess a true song, but rather communicate with chirps.

According to Clements, there are 12 sub-species of House Sparrow and it isnt quite clear to me which of these we get in Kuwait. It could be either Passer domesticus biblicus (Cyprus and Levant to Turkey, n Saudi Arabia, Iraq and w Iran) or Passer domesticus hufufae (NE Arabia (south to n Oman)

Here are a selection of House Sparrow images taken in Kuwait in winter

Winter male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Kuwait

Followed by some taken in Dahran in KSA, 400km south of Kuwait also in winter.

Winter male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Dahran KSA

Winter female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Dahran KSA

Winter male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Dahran KSA

Earlier this year, I was fortunate to visit Shaybah in the Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter) KSA where I only found Passer domesticus indicus or Indian House Sparrow (S Israel to n Saudi Arabia, s Iran, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar) which was very distinctive with it's pure white cheeks

Winter female Indian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Shaybah (Rub al Khali) KSA

Winter female Indian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Shaybah (Rub al Khali) KSA

Winter male Indian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Shaybah (Rub al Khali) KSA

Winter female Indian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Shaybah (Rub al Khali) KSA

Whilst visiting Tuscany in Italy last year, the House Sparrow we saw was not even closely similar to House Sparrow's in Kuwait and further reading suggests that these are Italian 'House' Sparrows or Cisalpine Sparrow (Passer italiae). 

There has been much debate in the origins and taxonomic status of the Italian Sparrow, especially given its possible hybrid origin. Some have classified it as a subspecies of House Sparrow, a subspecies of the Spanish Sparrow, or as a distinct species, a treatment followed if only for convenience by authorities such as the Handbook of Birds of the World. A DNA analysis by Glenn-Peter Saetre and colleagues published in 2011 indicated an origin of the Italian Sparrow through hybridisation between Spanish and House Sparrows, and Saetre and colleagues argued that given its origins and the limited extent of hybridisation, the treatment as a distinct species was supported.

Summer male Italian 'House' Sparrow (Passer italiae) in Tuscany, Italy

 

Summer male Italian 'House' Sparrow (Passer italiae) in Venice, Italy

And just by way of comparison, here is a male Spanish Sparrow, of which there are two subspecies. This one was photographed in Kuwait and could be Passer hispaniolensis transcaspicus (Iran and Transcapia to e Kazakstan and Afghanistan). 

Winter male Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) in Kuwait

I know we take this ever so common birds for granted, but even a House Sparrow can be interesting if we take the time to look a little closer.