Sparrows · Perching birds
Rock Sparrow
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Petronia petronia
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Voice
Song
Call
Song
How to recognize it
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15–17 cm long
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Gray-brown plumage with brown markings; pale eyebrow
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Yellow upper-breast patch, brighter in males
About the species
Muted gray-brown feathers, mottled with darker brown, cover the back and wings, while streaks run down the breast. A pale eyebrow draws a light line above the eye, and a yellow patch sits high on the chest against the subdued plumage. Both sexes carry the patch. White tail tips show when it takes off.
It walks and runs quickly over stones and bare ground, and its flight is quick and agile. Flocks keep in touch with clear chirps; males also sing briefly in spring. Outside the breeding season, Central Asian flocks can number in the hundreds.
Rocky hillsides and barren slopes are its main setting, though it also occurs around settlements in suitable country, nesting in cracks in rocks or walls. It eats seeds throughout the year, adds berries in autumn, and takes insects—especially caterpillars and grasshoppers—in spring. Western populations are mostly resident, while some in Asia move south or to lower elevations in winter.
Where to find
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On rocky slopes within its range, watch for quick feeding runs over bare ground and between stones.
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By springs, streams or rain puddles, Rock Sparrows keep close to the water — scan the edges.
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In settlements in suitable rocky country during nesting, watch wall crevices as adults bring food to their young.
