© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Latin: Passer griseus
Other: Gray-headed Sparrow. Moineau gris (Fr)
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows
Range: Tropical Africa
Similar:

The Northern Grey-headed Sparrow.More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Mar 2013

Bird name: Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver
Latin: Plocepasser superciliosus
Other:
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows
Range: W, C, E Africa
Similar: Bush Petronia

We saw these Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weavers in Tujereng Woods. The black malar stripe is a good field mark.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Italy - Romania • May 2009

Bird name: Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Latin: Passer montanus
Other: Moineau friquet (Fr)
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows

The Tree Sparrow is far less common than the similar House Sparrow and can be easily differentiated by the small patch of black on its cheek and wholly rufous top of head. Also found throughout Europe and much of Asia.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Lake Garda, Italy. May 2009

Bird name: Italian Sparrow
Latin: Passer italiae
Other: Passer hispaniolensis • Passera d'Italia (It), passero italiano • Italiensperling (De)
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows
Range: Mainland Italy, Corsica, Sicily

The Italian Sparrow is sometimes considered a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow or hybrid with House Sparrow.

The male has a full chestnut cap and white cheeks like the Spanish Sparrow but pale belly without black spotting, so unlike the Spanish Sparrow in that respect.

The female (below) looks like the female House Sparrow, but identified here by proximity to males.

Some possible photos of courtship below in “more photos”. She pecks him on the head, they both bow and display plumage.
Alternatively, It seems these may not be courtship scenes at all. Two other theories are that the female may be competing aggressively for food (I had a sandwich), which happens the during breeding season. Or she may be an invasive House Sparrow and attacking the male Italian Sparrow for territory.

These photos were taken by Lake Garda in Northern Italy, a typical location for the Italian Sparrow.

More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: House Sparrow
Latin: Passer domesticus
Other: Moineau domestique
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows

Photo: monacoeye • Camargue • Mar 2009

A ringed female House Sparrow above. Detail of male below. Widespread in Europe and even quite visible in Americas.More photos...