East Africa’s sparrows are ubiquitous. Thriving wherever humans settle. House sparrows colonize every town and village, chirping from corrugated iron roofs across the region.

But native species offer more interest: grey-headed sparrows inhabit thornbush and woodland edges, while Swahili sparrows are coastal specialists. The northern grey-headed sparrow replaces its southern cousin in arid zones. Kenya’s rufous sparrow prefers rocky hillsides and dry scrublands.

Chestnut sparrows build massive colonial nests in acacias; remarkable woven structures housing hundreds of pairs. These tough, adaptable birds exploit human-modified landscapes brilliantly while native species maintain traditional territories.