Sahel Bush Sparrow

Overview

The Sahel bush sparrow, or bush petronia (Gymnoris dentata), is a small bird in the family Passeridae found across the Sahel region of Africa. It inhabits dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland from Mauritania to Guinea and east to Eritrea and the south-western Arabian Peninsula.

Identification

• Small bird measuring approximately 13 cm in length with a large, conical beak and a short tail.
• Males feature a grey crown, a wide but ill-defined reddish-brown supercilium, and a creamy-white bib, while females have a better-defined white supercilium and two white wing bars.
• The male's beak is black during the breeding season but horn-coloured for the rest of the year, whereas females retain a horn-coloured beak all year round.

Habitat

This species resides in semi-arid savannah with scattered trees and cultivated clearings near settlements. It occupies a broad belt across the Sahel region at altitudes up to about 1,700 m, extending from Senegal to Eritrea and Yemen.