Iago Sparrow
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The Iago Sparrow (or Cape Verde Sparrow) is a member of the Old World sparrow family Passeridae. It is a small sparrow, 13cm in length. The male has a black crown and eyestripe, a grey nape and rufous sides to the head. The female is similar to the female House Sparrow.
It is endemic to the Cape Verde Islands where it is common on most islands but absent from Fogo and scarce on Santa Luzia, Branco and Sal. It can be found in a variety of habitats but is commonest in lava plains, desert and dry scrub. It enters urban areas on islands where there are no Spanish Sparrows to compete with it.
It breeds in loose colonies in August and September following rain. The nest is made of grass, lined with hair and feathers and usually built in a hole in a cliff or wall. The female lays three to five eggs. The young birds are fed on insects. Adult Iago Sparrows feed mainly on seeds and leaves.
The Iago Sparrow is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the Rufous Sparrow of mainland Africa.
References
- BirdLife International (2004). [Passer iagoensis]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 06 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
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