Rock Sparrow

Petronia petronia

Introduction

Found at high altitudes throughout southern Europe and central Asia, this normally sedentary species is an extremely rare visitor to Britain.

Rock Sparrow was added to the British List following a record of an individual at Cley, Norfolk, in June 1981.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

30.5g

Seasonality

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Norfolk, 1981

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This vagrant has not been recorded in the UK for many decades and as such cannot be mapped.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.

Movement

Information about Rock Sparrow movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Rock Sparrow, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Rock Sparrow

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passeridae
Scientific name: Petronia petronia
Authority: Linnaeus, 1766

BTO 5-letter code: ROCSP
Euring code number: 16040

Alternate species names

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Catalan: pardal roquer
Czech: vrabec skalní
Danish: Stenspurv
Dutch: Rotsmus
Estonian: kaljuvarblane
Finnish: kalliovarpunen
French: Moineau soulcie

German: Steinsperling
Hungarian: köviveréb
Icelandic: Steinspör
Italian: Passera lagia
Latvian: akmenzvirbulis
Lithuanian: paprastasis uolažvirblis
Norwegian: Steinspurv

Polish: wróbel skalny
Portuguese: pardal-francês
Slovak: skalník žltohrdlý
Slovenian: skalni vrabec
Spanish: Gorrión chillón
Swedish: stensparv

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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