Desert sparrow

{{Short description|Species of bird}}

{{about|the Old World bird|the North American bird|Black-throated sparrow}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Desert Sparrow - Merzouga - Morocco_07_7156 (22203842844).jpg

| image_caption = Male in Morocco

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=Passer simplex |volume=2016 |page=e.T22736020A95123332 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22736020A95123332.en |access-date=18 November 2021}}

| taxon = Passer simplex

| authority = (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)

| range_map=PasserSimplex.svg

| range_map_caption=The ranges of the desert sparrow and Zarudny's 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 subspecies of the desert sparrow, but varies in a number of ways and is now recognised as a separate species by BirdLife International, the IOC World Bird List,{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates/archive-3-1-to-3-5/species-3-1-3-5/|title=Updates: Species 3.1-3.5|work=IOC World Bird List|publisher=International Ornithological Congress|editor=Gill, F. |editor2=Donsker, D.|access-date=22 September 2017}} and the Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive.{{cite book|last=del Hoyo|first= J. |author2=Collar, N. |year=2017|chapter= Zarudny's Sparrow (Passer zarudnyi)|editor=del Hoyo, J. |editor2=Elliott, A. |editor3=Sargatal, J. |editor4=Christie, D.A. |editor5=de Juana, E.|title=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive|publisher=Lynx Edicions|location= Barcelona|url= http://www.hbw.com/node/1344118 |access-date= 23 September 2017}}

The desert sparrow has two subspecies which occur in some of driest parts of the Sahara Desert in Northern Africa. This species is becoming scarcer as a result of habitat destruction, but it is assessed on the IUCN Red List as being of least concern for conservation. Zarudny's sparrow is also considered to be a least concern species,{{Cite iucn | author = BirdLife International | title = Passer zarudnyi | volume = 2016 | page = e.T22736027A95123540 | date = 2016 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22736027A95123540.en }} as was the combined species recognised before 2012.

The desert sparrow is not afraid to come near humans and sometimes builds nests in muddy walls. The Mozabite Berbers build their homes with holes in the walls to welcome these birds, which they call "bar-rode", and if one sings all day in the house, they say this is a sign of good news. The Tuareg, who call the bird "moula-moula", also say that this bird brings good news when it comes to stay near the camp.{{cite web|url=http://www.emberiza.org/eng/gorrion.html|title=The Desert Sparrow|publisher=The Emberiza Fund|access-date=8 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234449/http://www.emberiza.org/eng/gorrion.html|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}