Sahel Bush Sparrow Gymnoris dentata Scientific name definitions

13 cm; 16–21·5 g. Fairly small sparrow with relatively short tail and long conical bill. Male nominate race is mainly dark brown above, with grey crown separated from grey ear-coverts and cheek by russet supercilium extending from eye to side of nape and down side of neck; rather indistinct pale tip on upperwing-coverts; tail dark grey or greyish-brown, with narrow pale edges and buffish to buffy-white tips; chin and throat creamy white, inconspicuous small pale yellow spot on lower throat; underparts off-white, breast and flanks washed grey; iris dark brown; bill brown with paler-horn base, becoming black in breeding season; legs grey, bluish-grey or brown-tinged greyish. Female is similar to male, but with crown browner, supercilium cream, dark streaks on back, yellow throat spot reduced or lacking. Juvenile is like female, but upperparts more tawny-brown and supercilium tawny-buff. Race buchanani is paler than nominate.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Small seeds and insects. Obtains food items both from the ground and by searching branches and leaves on trees. Spends most of time in trees. Singly, in pairs and in small groups; sometimes larger concentrations at food sources.

Calls chirping; song slightly rolled "chru-chru-chru-chru-chru-chru-chru", similar to that of Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow (Gymnoris superciliaris) but lower-pitched and drier.

Season Nov–Mar over most of range. Solitary. Nest cup-shaped, placed in hole in tree or post or crevice in tree, occasionally a shapeless mass of grass in tree branches; often in old hole of woodpecker (Picidae) in Yemen. No other information on wild populations; in captivity, clutch 2–3 eggs, incubation by both sexes, mainly female, period 14–17 days, chicks fed by both parents, nestling period 13 days.