Iago Sparrow

Passer iagoensis (Gould, 1838)

32 gWeight

The Iago sparrow (Passer iagoensis), also known as the Cape Verde or rufous-backed sparrow, is a passerine bird of the sparrow family Passeridae.

Busiest months: April · Most records: Cape Verde

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Iago Sparrow has been recorded at 10 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Barragem de PoilãoCape Verde114 records
Ilhéu RasoCape Verde98 records
Jardim BotânicoCape Verde77 records

More places

Mindelo WTPCape Verde71 records
Sal – Santa MariaCape Verde64 records
Tarrafal – Sewage PondsCape Verde50 records
Rabil LagoonCape Verde50 records
Barragem de FavetaCape Verde48 records
Achada Fazenda lagoonCape Verde34 records
Zone Humide de LacacãoCape Verde34 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Cape Verde

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Iago sparrow (Passer iagoensis), also known as the Cape Verde or rufous-backed sparrow, is a passerine bird of the sparrow family Passeridae. It is endemic to the Cape Verde archipelago, in the eastern Atlantic Ocean near western Africa. Females and young birds have brown plumage with black marks above, and a dull grey underside, and are distinguished from other species of sparrow by their large, distinct supercilium.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Iago Sparrow?

The Iago Sparrow weighs around 32 g.

Where does the Iago Sparrow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: insular tropical northwestern Africa in drylands, fields and towns: Cape Verde Islands (all main islands; southern Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa). It is most often recorded in Cape Verde.

When is the best time to see the Iago Sparrow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Iago Sparrow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Iago Sparrow as Least Concern.

What does the Iago Sparrow eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Iago Sparrow in?

It belongs to the family Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight: 32 g
Habitat: Rocky terrain
Diet: Seeds
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 60 mm
Tail: 50 mm
Bill: 13 mm
Tarsus: 18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: insular tropical northwestern Africa in drylands, fields and towns: Cape Verde Islands (all main islands; southern Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2