The Kordofan sparrow, also known as the Kordofan rufous sparrow, is a sparrow found only in southwestern Sudan and adjacent border regions of South Sudan and Chad. It is frequently considered a subspecies of the Kenya sparrow, which in turn is considered a subspecies of the great sparrow.
Region
Sahel (Sudan–South Sudan–Chad borderlands)
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in southwestern Sudan and adjacent parts of South Sudan and eastern Chad. Favors dry Acacia savanna, thorn scrub, and open grassland with scattered trees. Readily occupies rural settlements, farm edges, and compounds, where it feeds on spilled grain and weeds. It uses trees, thatch, and building eaves for nesting and roosting, and frequents water points in the dry season.
Altitude Range
300–1200 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Part of the rufous sparrow complex, the Kordofan sparrow has sometimes been treated as a subspecies of the Kenya sparrow and, more distantly, the great sparrow. It thrives in semi-arid savannas and human-modified landscapes, often nesting around villages and compounds. During the breeding season it increases insect intake, helping control local insect populations. Its localized range makes it a useful indicator of Sahelian habitat quality.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with bounding arcs
Social Behavior
Typically found in small flocks outside the breeding season, often associating loosely with other seed-eating birds around settlements and fields. Forms monogamous pairs that nest in cavities, dense thorny shrubs, or building eaves; it will also appropriate old weaver nests. Nests are bulky and grass-lined, with both parents feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of sharp, sparrow-like chirps and cheeps delivered from exposed perches. Males add a slightly buzzy, chattering phrase during courtship and territorial displays.
Plumage
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with paler sandy underparts and a clean, tight feather texture typical of sparrows. Males show a rich rufous crown and nape with greyish cheeks and a small dark throat patch; females are duller sandy-brown with subtle streaking and a pale supercilium. Both sexes show a contrasting pale wingbar.
Diet
Feeds primarily on grass seeds, weed seeds, and spilled grain, switching to a higher proportion of insects during breeding to provision nestlings. Takes small beetles, caterpillars, and other arthropods gleaned from low vegetation or the ground. Will also peck at buds and small fruits opportunistically and visits water points regularly in the dry season.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground in open savanna, field margins, village yards, and livestock areas where seeds and insects are abundant. Often concentrates along tracks, threshing floors, and around granaries after harvest.
