About Passer motitensis (A.Smith, 1836)
The great sparrow, scientifically named Passer motitensis, is also commonly called the southern rufous sparrow. It is found in dry, wooded savannah and human towns in southern Africa. This species is a sparrow that measures 15 to 16 cm in length, and looks superficially similar to a large house sparrow. It has a grey crown, grey rear neck, and rufous upperparts. In the past, some authorities considered this species and several related African mainland 'rufous sparrow' species to be the same as the Iago sparrow of Cape Verde, but these species do not appear to be as closely related as was once thought. Currently, only a few taxonomic authorities recognize some rufous sparrows as separate species distinct from the great sparrow. However, the Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International recognize the Socotra sparrow, Kenya sparrow, Kordofan sparrow, and Shelley's sparrow as separate valid species.
