Rock Sparrow
Photo: MPF · CC BY-SA 4.0

Snowfinches and Old World Sparrows

Rock Sparrow

Petronia petronia

LCLeast Concern
Family
Snowfinches and Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The rock sparrow or rock petronia (Petronia petronia) is a small passerine bird in the sparrow family Passeridae. It is the only species in the genus Petronia. It breeds on barren rocky hills from Madeira and the Canary Islands east through the Iberian Peninsula and western north Africa, across southern Europe and through southwestern and central Asia to Mongolia and the north and west of China. It is resident in the west of its range, but some Asian birds may migrate to more southerly areas, or move to lower altitudes in mountains, in winter.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.