EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Italian Sparrow on a Date

Italian (Cisalpine) Sparrow (Passer italiae), Family Passeridae
Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera), Family Arecaceae
Constantine, Algeria

Explanation:  Literally hanging out in a massive profusion of dates is this Italian Sparrow, here in the courtyard of the Palace of Ahmed Bey, in Constantine, northern Algeria. 

Also called the Cisalpine Sparrow, the Italian Sparrow is found in (guess where) Italy and parts of the Mediterranean.  Indeed, "cisalpine" is defined as occurring on the Italian or Roman side of the Alps.  

The Italian, or Cisalpine, Sparrow is akin to the very similar Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) which also occurs in the northern Algeria region.  Some sources suggest that Italian Sparrows do not occur in Africa at all, whereas others list it as resident there.  

The confusion may come from the hybridizations that seem to occur in North Africa between Spanish Sparrows, House Sparrows, and likely also Italian Sparrows.  It's a bit of a taxonomic quagmire.  My photos here seem to very much align with the Italian Sparrow's black bib and splotched chest, whereas the Spanish Sparrow seems to have black from the chin down to and including the upper belly.
   

Italian Sparrow in a world of dates.

Regardless, this sparrow seemed to be enjoying the tangles of this date palm cornucopia.