House Sparrow and hybrids with Somali Sparrow in Ethiopia

2015·2.7 MB·

by  K Gedeon

House Sparrow Passer domesticus and hybrids with
Somali Sparrow P. castanopterus in Ethiopia
Kai Gedeorf, Andrew Cauldwellb, Mihret Ewnetuc, Fekede Regasat, Robert Schonbrodd and Till Topfef
Le Moineau domestique Passer domesticus et des hybrides avec le Moineau de Somalie P. castanopterus
en Ethiopie. Des nouvelles observations sont rapportees du Moineau domestique Passer domesticus en
Ethiopie, indiquant qu’une extension de son aire de distribution est en cours. Au nord-ouest, les oiseaux
appartiennent a la sous-espece P. d. rufidorsalis, tandis que dans le nord-est et le sud ils appartiennent a
P. d. indicus. A Megado, pres de la frontiere avec le Kenya, un male hybride P. d. indicus x Moineau de
Somalie P. castanopterus a ete photographic. L’origine des Moineaux domestiques en Ethiopie est examinee.
Summary. New records of House Sparrows Passer domesticus in Ethiopia are reported, indicating an
ongoing range extension. In the north-west, birds were P d. rufidorsalis, whilst in the north-east and south
they were P d. indicus. At Megado, near the Kenyan border, a hybrid P d. indicus x Somali Sparrow P
castanopterus was photographed. The origin of the House Sparrows in Ethiopia is discussed.
T
he ubiquitous House Sparrow Passer back, an all-grey crown and a back pattern
domesticus has been introduced by man in typical of P. d. indicus (Fig. 2), whilst the other
many parts of the world, including in Africa, from had a grey back, a brown forehead with a grey
where it has subsequently spread, often followed central crown, but no yellowish on the underparts,
by hybridisation with other local Passer species suggesting hybridisation with Somali Sparrow P.
(Summers-Smith 1998, 2009). In the Horn of castanopterus (Fig. 3), presumably of the subspecies
Africa, it is known from Eritrea (P. d. rufidorsalis) fidgens given its known range (Summers-Smith
and Djibouti and southern Somalia (P. d. indicus), 1988). Interestingly, this individual strikingly
but there are no previously published records from resembles the putative hybrid House x Somali
Ethiopia (Ash & Miskell 1998, Ash & Atkins Sparrows from Somaliland depicted by Cohen &
2009). Here we present our observations of House Mills (2010), although these were most probably
Sparrows in Ethiopia in 2012-14 and discuss its hybrids between P. d. indicus and nominate Somali
current status in the country.
North-west Ethiopia
On 15 January 2012, ME & FR observed four
pairs of House Sparrows in Humera, Tigray
Regional State, on the border with Eritrea
and c.l km west of the border with Sudan
(14°1710,,N 36036’34”E; Fig. 1). A year later,
on 4 February 2013, the species appeared to have
spread throughout the town and was repeatedly
encountered in large flocks of up to 30 in its
centre. They were seen feeding on the ground,
perching on walls and were heard in the roofs of
houses. No evidence of breeding was noted.
Southern Ethiopia
On 23 May 2013, KG & TT found at least
Figure 1. Male House Sparrow Passer domesticus
four pairs at Megado, south-west of Mega, rufidorsalis, Humera, north-west Ethiopia, 15 January
Oromia Regional State, near the Kenyan border 2Q12 (Mihret Ewnetu)
(03°53,45”N 38°13’18”E). A female was observed Moineau domestique Passer domesticus rufidorsalis male,
leaving a nest in the roof of a hut and two Humera, Ethiopie du nord-ouest, 15 janvier 2012
males were observed closely. One had a brown (Mihret Ewnetu)
70- Bull ABC Vo! 22 No 1 (2015) House Sparrow and hybrids with Somali Sparrow in Ethiopia: Gedeon
Figure 2. Male House Sparrow Passer domesticus indicus, Megado, southern Ethiopia, 23 May 2013 (Kai Gedeon)
Moineau domestique Passer domesticus indicus male, Megado, Ethiopie du sud, 23 mai 2013 (Kai Gedeon)
Figure 3. Hybrid male House Sparrow Passer domesticus x Somali Sparrow P. castanopterus, Megado, southern Ethiopia,
23 May 2013; note the grey back (Kai Gedeon)
Hybride Moineau domestique Passer domesticus x Moineau de Somalie P. castanopterus, male, Megado, Ethiopie du sud,
23 mai 2013 ; noter le dos gris (Kai Gedeon)
Figure 4. Map of House Sparrow
Passer domesticus records in
Ethiopia and Eritrea. White dots:
confirmed sight records mentioned
in Ash & Atkins (2009); black
dots: confirmed breeding records
mentioned in Ash & Atkins (2009);
red dots: records documented in
this paper; red dot with x: hybrid P.
domesticus indicus x P. castanopterus
fulgens; green dots: other records
mentioned in this paper.
Mentions du Moineau
domestique Passer domesticus en
Ethiopie et en Erythree. Points
blancs : observations confirmees
mentionnees par Ash & Atkins
(2009) ; points noirs : nidifications
confirmees mentionnees par Ash
& Atkins (2009) ; points rouges :
observations documentees dans le
present article ; point rouge avec x :
hybride P. domesticus indicus x P.
castanopterus fulgens ; points verts :
autres observations mentionnees
dans le present article.
Sparrow. Next day, on 24 May 2013, at least one between Mega and Yabello, Oromia Regional
pair of House Sparrows was seen entering a nest State (04°21’58”N 38°16’46”E).
in the roof of a hut in Dubluk, a small settlement
House Sparrow and hybrids with Somali Sparrow in Ethiopia: Gedeon Bull ABC Vol 22 No 1 (2015) - 71
North-east Ethiopia several pairs in Addis Ababa in 2007 and in Adama,
Nazret, in 2008. M. Gabremichael (in litt. 2014)
On 11-15 November 2013, AC observed >15
encountered the species c. 5 years ago at Afdera,
House Sparrows, including adult males and
in the northern Afar depression (13°15,00”N
females, c.8 km west of Dallol, Afar Regional
4l°00’00”E), and more than seven years ago at
State (14°13,56”N 40°13’30,,E). No evidence of
Shiraro, Tigray (14°23’45”N 37°46’23”E), as well
breeding was noted. The birds were in a mining
as between Berahile (13°5T53”N 40°0T27,E)
camp constructed c. 10 years previously on the edge
and Dallol, Afar. In June 2011, it was found
of a vast saltpan that apparently does not support
in the vicinity of Humera, Tigray (14°17T0”N
any life, although there are small settlements along
36°36’34”E) without more precise information
the pan that could serve as stepping stones. On 14
concerning the locality (A. Ahmed pers. comm.).
February 2014, RS observed c.25 birds in a former
Furthermore, there is a recent observation from
hospital complex, now a dilapidated military base,
the Ghion Hotel, in the centre of Addis Ababa
in nearby Kursod (13°26,48’,N 40°30’37”E). At
(09°00,48”N 38°45’40”E), unfortunately without
Hamadela salt camp (14°05’08”N 40°16,46”E),
further details (M. Gabremichael in litt. 2014).
a pair was seen feeding two fledglings near Hotel
The House Sparrows we observed in north¬
Afarik on 16-18 February 2014, and on 18th
west Ethiopia were of the subspecies rufidorsalis
another ten were sighted at Bir Haile (13°51 ’52”N
(Fig. 1), identified by the extensive amount of
40°01’22”E).
chestnut on the back, whilst those in the north¬
Discussion east and the south were much less intensively
coloured on the upperparts, tvpical of P. d. indicus
The current range expansion of the House Sparrow
(Fig. 2).
in the Horn of Africa is a consequence of several
Contrary to expectations, the House Sparrows
independent man-assisted colonisation events
in the Afar depression were of the subspecies
involving the subspecies indicus and rufidorsalis.
indicus, and not rufidorsalis like those in Eritrea
The spread of these different populations is
(Ash & Atkins 2009), although the Eritrean
accompanied by local hybridisation with the
border is <20 km away. Consequently, Djibouti
two Somali Sparrow subspecies castanopterus and
(350 km away) must be questioned as the starting
fulgens. House Sparrows were unknown in Eritrea
point of an independent range extension. Instead,
until 1995, when they were found breeding in
nearby port cities in Eritrea should also be
several places. During the following years, a large
considered, as indicus might have settled there in
part of the country became populated by P. d.
recent years. However, Humera, in westernmost
rufidorsalis (Ash & Atkins 2009; Fig. 4). In Sudan,
Tigray, is populated by rufidorsalis, as is probably
near the Ethiopian border, there was undated proof
Shiraro. For the time being, we conclude that the
at 11°S (Nikolaus 1987). Its arrival in Djibouti
current boundary between the two subspecies runs
during 1999 was apparently unconnected with
through northern Ethiopia (Fig. 4).
the establishment of the Sudanese and Eritrean
The hybrid P. d. indicus x P. c. fulgens
populations (Ash & Atkins 2009) as it concerns P.
photographed at Megado (Fig. 3) appears to be
d. indicus, which also occurs on the Red Sea coast
the first record of a hybrid between these two taxa,
of Arabia (Jennings 2010) and in Somalia (Ash
while the observations of nests at the same locality
& Miskell 1988). This native Asian subspecies
and at Dubluk are, to our knowledge, the first
also occurs in Kenya and further south (Lewis
breeding records of House Sparrow in Ethiopia.
& Pomeroy 1989). P. d. indicus is reported to
We can only speculate about the origin of
hybridise with Somali Sparrow P. c. castanopterus
those House Sparrows in southern Ethiopia.
in Somalia (Ash & Colston 1981) as well as in
Anecdotal observations indicate that their recent
Djibouti and Somaliland (Borrow 2010, Cohen
range extension in Kenya occurred along the
& Mills 2010, Redman 2012).
main road connecting Mombasa to the Ugandan
According to Ash & Atkins (2009), House
capital Kampala (Martin et al. 2013, Schrey et
Sparrows had not reached Ethiopia by that time.
al. 2014). The localities in southern Ethiopia
However, since then some unpublished records
lie c.500 km from this main dispersal event and
have been brought to our attention. In central
c.380 km from a locality in northern Kenya where
Ethiopia, J. M. Wambura (in litt. 2014) observed
72- Bull ABC Vol 22 No 1 (2015) House Sparrow and hybrids with Somali Sparrow in Ethiopia: Gedeon
the species has been known for some years. In Gesellschaft fur Naturforschung & Riyadh: King
August 1999, N. Redman {in litt. 2014) found Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology.
three House Sparrows (judged to be indicus) Martin, L. B., Coon, C. A. C., Liebl, A. L. & Schrey,
at Kapedo, c.50 km north of Lake Baringo A. W. 2013. Surveillance for microbes and range
expansion in house sparrows. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond.
(01°11’00”N 36°06’09”E). They were with a
B 281: 20132690. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/
small flock of Somali Sparrows. In subsequent
rspb.2013.2690
years, the birds were seen there again, together
Nikolaus, G. 1987. Distribution atlas of Sudan’s birds
with hybrids. Based on distribution, the latter
with notes on habitat and status. Bonn. Zool.
could easily have also been hybrids between P. d.
Monogr. 25: 1-322.
indicus and P. c. fulgens. Therefore, colonisation
Lewis, A. & Pomeroy, D. 1989. A Bird Atlas of Kenya.
of southern Ethiopia from Kenya appears
Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema.
possible. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that
Redman, N. 2012. Djibouti & Somaliland, 9-27
colonisation occurred from the north, via the Rift
September 2012. http://www.birdquest-tours.com/
Valley and starting in Djibouti.
Djibouti-Somaliland-birding-tour-report/2012
(accessed 30 December 2013).
Acknowledgements
Schrey, A. W., Liebl, A. L., Richards, C. L. &
We thank John Mugaboh Wambura, Merid
Martin, L. B. 2014. Range expansion of house
Gabremichael, Aziz Ahmed and Nigel Redman for
sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Kenya: evidence of
kindly providing their observations, and John Atkins
genetic admixture and human-mediated dispersal.
and Ron Demey for their helpful comments on the
J. Heredity 105: 60-69.
manuscript.
Summers-Smith, J. D. 1988. The Sparrows. A Study of
the Genus Passer. Calton: T. & A. D. Poyser.
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