Passer griseus
Silhouette: Andrew Butko (modified) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The northern grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus), also known as the grey-headed sparrow, is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, which is resident in much of tropical Africa. It occurs in a wide range of open habitats, including open woodlands and human habitation, often occupying the same niche as the house sparrow does in Eurasia.
The adult northern grey-headed sparrow has a pale grey head with a white moustache stripe, pale brown upperparts, whitish underparts and chestnut wings with a small white shoulder patch. The sexes are similar, but young birds are slightly duller and lack the white wing patch. There are three subspecies, differing in plumage tone, especially with regard to the darkness of the head.
This sparrow is mainly resident in its range, but there is some seasonal movement, and flocks of up to 50 birds form outside the breeding season. It builds a cup nest in trees, thatch, or old nests of other birds; 2–4 eggs are laid.
This species feeds principally on seeds and grain, like other sparrows, but will readily take insects including termites, especially when feeding young. The calls include cheeps and chirps, and the typical sparrow churring alarm call.
The northern grey-headed sparrow is replaced in eastern and southern Africa by very similar birds that are sometimes considered races of this species: Swainson's sparrow, the parrot-billed sparrow, the Swahili sparrow, and the southern grey-headed sparrow. Wikipedia →
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Grey-headed Sparrow sighting in Serengeti National Park on a given day, based on 281 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 172nd most-seen of the 469 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Grey-headed Sparrow in Serengeti National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and October, the lowest months. That is one of Serengeti National Park's wettest months, with about 110 mm of rain against 5 mm in July.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Grey-headed Sparrow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
22nd of 30
Of the 30 parks where we can rate Northern Grey-headed Sparrow sightings, Serengeti National Park ranks 22nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal, about 50%), Akagera National Park (Rwanda, about 50%) and Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Passer
The closest relatives of the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow that you can see in Serengeti National Park (genus Passer, True Sparrows) are Swahili Sparrow (about 30%), Kenya Rufous Sparrow (about 20%) and Chestnut Sparrow (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow is recorded against all the birds logged in Serengeti National Park (281 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
