Russet sparrow

The russet sparrow (Passer cinnamomeus) also called the cinnamon sparrow or cinnamon tree sparrow, is a bird that is part of the sparrow family. It is a small bird with a thick beak, and is 14 to 15 centimetres long. Its feathers are mainly rufous (reddish-brown) above and grey below, and its sounds are made up of short chirps which it can sometimes join together to make a song. There are 3 subspecies of the Russet Sparrow, rutilans (the main species), intensior, which, along with the main species, lives in parts of eastern Asia, and cinnamomeus, which lives in the Himalayas and is commonly seen around terrace farms. The Russet Sparrow mainly eats seeds from herbs and grains, and it is the common sparrow of towns and cities that Eurasian Tree Sparrows and House Sparrows do not live in.

Russet sparrow
A plump sparrow with a thick beak, and feathers mostly coloured russet above and cream below, perching on a stump
Male in Kullu, India
Conservation status
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P. rutilans

Russet Sparrow Media

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Passer rutilans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 16 July 2012.