# Somali sparrow (Passer castanopterus)

> The Somali sparrow: range, its two subspecies, its link to the russet sparrow, Red List status, and 109 records across Somali regions since 1899.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/nature/somali-sparrow/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

The Somali sparrow (*Passer castanopterus*) is a bird of the sparrow family, Passeridae. It is found in Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya ([IUCN Red List, *Passer castanopterus*, 2016](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718187A94571562.en)). Blyth described it in 1855 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/5231192)).

## Relatives

It has been grouped with the russet sparrow (*Passer rutilans*) of Asia as one "superspecies", and the two have sometimes been treated as a single species. The *Handbook of the Birds of the World* states that their likeness in plumage and body shape is more likely convergent evolution, meaning they came to look alike separately, than a sign of one shared line ([Handbook of the Birds of the World, Somali Sparrow](http://www.hbw.com/node/60930)).

## Two subspecies

Two subspecies are recognised ([Wikipedia, Somali sparrow, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_sparrow)):

- *Passer castanopterus castanopterus* Blyth, 1855: Djibouti, [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/) and eastern Ethiopia.
- *Passer castanopterus fulgens* Friedmann, 1931: southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya, south to Kapedo and Marsabit.

## Records in Somali lands

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) holds 109 records of the Somali sparrow from Somalia, dated from 1899 to 2025 ([GBIF occurrence search, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=5231192)). By type: 78 sightings by people, 31 museum specimens.

Records that name a region (84 of 109), by region: [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/) 42, [Togdheer](/en/regions/togdheer/) 13, [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/) 9, Banadir (Mogadishu) 4, Bay 4, Middle [Shabelle](/en/economy/farming-and-harvests/) 4, [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/) 2, Somaliland (no region given) 2, [Sool](/en/regions/sool/) 2, [Gedo](/en/regions/gedo/) 1, [Nugaal](/en/regions/nugaal/) 1 (same source).

The oldest dated record is a museum specimen from 1899, from a place recorded as "Berbera", held by the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard ([GBIF record 863440810](http://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Orn:235016)).

The newest dated record is a sighting by a person from 2025, from Woqooyi Galbeed, held by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird) ([GBIF record 6642382932](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6642382932)).

GBIF only holds what museums, scientists and observers have shared, so the counts show where the animal or plant has been recorded, not its full range.

## Red List status

The IUCN Red List category for the Somali sparrow is **Least Concern** ([IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718187A94571562.en); [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/5231192)).

## Classification

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Passeridae |
| Genus | Passer |
| Species | *Passer castanopterus* |

Scientific name with author: *Passer castanopterus* Blyth, 1855 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/5231192)).

## Related pages

- [Birds of Somalia](/en/nature/birds-of-somalia/)

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718187A94571562.en)
- [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/5231192)
- [GBIF occurrence records, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=5231192)
- [Handbook of the Birds of the World, Somali Sparrow](http://www.hbw.com/node/60930)
- [Wikipedia (backup)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_sparrow)

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