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Sind Sparrow

Passer pyrrhonotus
Sind Sparrows look very much like the House Sparrows that live throughout Europe and Asia, though they are a tad smaller, and are located only around India and Pakistan. It is easiest to tell the two species apart when looking at the males. Sind Sparrows have short black bibs on their throats. House Sparrows have the same bibs, but they are much larger. Females are much harder to tell apart, tricky birds! They do have different calls though, with the Sind Sparrows having higher, more staccato-like voices.

So why so much similarity? Well, the two birds are definitely relatives-- the share the same genus (along with about two dozen other species). The original thought was that the Sind was a newer species that evolved from populations of House Sparrows cut off during the last Ice Age (around 15,000 years ago). But now, new genetic studies are showing that the Sind Sparrows may have split apart millions of years ago, rather than thousands.

Sind Sparrows live in small little groups that number around half a dozen birds, though these groups can swell to larger numbers during the winter (the non-breeding season). These groups forage for grass seeds in areas near rivers.

When it comes time to reproduce, both sexes help to build the nest, which is an untidy collection of sticks placed a few meters up into the trees. Both parents also help with the incubating.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South Asia
Size : Length up to 5.5in (14cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Passeridae -- Genus : Passer -- Species : P. pyrrhonotus
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