Editing Northern grey-headed sparrow

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Northern grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus ugandae).jpg
| image_caption = ''P. g. ugandae''<br>[[Semliki Wildlife Reserve]], Uganda
| image2 = Grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus griseus).jpg
| image2_caption = ''P. g. griseus''<br>Senegal
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Passer griseus'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22718230A132116025 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22718230A132116025.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Passer griseus
| authority = ([[Louis Pierre Vieillot|Vieillot]], 1817)<ref>{{cite book|last=Vieillot|first=J. P.|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18057950|title= Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine, etc|volume=12|year=1817|location=Paris|publisher= Chez Deterville|doi=10.5962/bhl.title.20211 }}</ref>
}}

The '''northern grey-headed sparrow''' ('''''Passer griseus'''''), also known as the '''grey-headed sparrow''', is a species of bird in the [[Old World sparrow|sparrow]] family Passeridae, which is resident in much of tropical Africa.<ref name="ALN2019">{{cite book |last1=Aerts |first1=R. |last2=Lerouge |first2=F. |last3=November |first3=E. |title=Birds of forests and open woodlands in the highlands of Dogu'a Tembien. In: Nyssen J., Jacob, M., Frankl, A. (Eds.). Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District |date=2019 |publisher=SpringerNature |isbn=978-3-030-04954-6 |url=https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030049546}}</ref> It occurs in a wide range of open habitats, including open woodlands and human habitation, often occupying the same [[ecological niche|niche]] as the [[house sparrow]] does in Eurasia.<ref name=Clement>{{Cite book|last1=Clement|first1=Peter|last2=Harris|first2=Alan|last3=Davis|first3=John|title = Finches and Sparrows: an Identification Guide|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=1993|location=Princeton, New Jersey|isbn=978-0-691-03424-9}}</ref>

The adult northern grey-headed sparrow has a pale grey head with a white moustache stripe, pale brown upperparts, whitish underparts and chestnut wings with a small white shoulder patch. The sexes are similar, but young birds are slightly duller and lack the white wing patch. There are three subspecies, differing in plumage tone, especially with regard to the darkness of the head.<ref name=Clement/>

This [[Old World sparrow|sparrow]] is mainly resident in its range, but there is some seasonal movement, and flocks of up to 50 birds form outside the breeding season. It builds a cup nest in trees, thatch, or old nests of other birds; 2–4 eggs are laid.<ref name=Clement/>

This species feeds principally on seeds and grain, like other sparrows, but will readily take insects including [[termite]]s, especially when feeding young.<ref name=Clement/>

The calls include cheeps and chirps, and the typical sparrow churring alarm call.<ref name=Clement/>

The northern grey-headed sparrow is replaced in eastern and southern Africa by very similar birds that are sometimes considered races of this species: [[Swainson's sparrow]], the [[parrot-billed sparrow]], the [[Swahili sparrow]], and the [[southern grey-headed sparrow]].<ref name=Clement/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category|Passer griseus|Passer griseus}}
*[http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/common-grey-headed-sparrow-passer-griseus Media related to the northern grey-headed sparrow] at the Internet Bird Collection

{{Passeridae}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1316022}}

[[Category:Passer|northern grey-headed sparrow]]
[[Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1817|northern grey-headed sparrow]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Louis Pierre Vieillot|northern grey-headed sparrow]]