Zarudny's sparrow (''Passer zarudnyi''), also known as the Asian desert sparrow, is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, which occurs in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and formerly in Iran. This species has historically been classified as a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of the

desert sparrow The desert sparrow (''Passer simplex'') is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, found in the Sahara Desert of northern Africa. A similar bird, Zarudny's sparrow, is found in Central Asia and was historically recognised as a subs ...

, which is otherwise restricted to Africa. However, the species has a number of differences with the African species, including very similar plumage in adult males and females, which suggests this species is distinct enough to be considered separate, and possibly not most closely related to the African birds. Consequently, Zarudny's sparrow is treated as a separate species by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

, the

IOC World Bird List ''Birds of the World: Recommended English Names'' is a paperback book, written by Frank Gill and Minturn Wright on behalf of the International Ornithologists' Union. The book is an attempt to produce a standardized set of English names for all b ...

, and the ''

Handbook of the Birds of the World The ''Handbook of the Birds of the World'' (HBW) is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions in partnership with BirdLife International. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. T ...

Alive''.

References

Zarudny's sparrow Birds of Central Asia Zarudny's sparrow {{Passeridae-stub