Limpopo
Kruger · Mapungubwe
Self-drive
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Great Sparrow in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Great Sparrow at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.
Passer motitensis · Least Concern
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Great Sparrow
Hosts have recorded the Great Sparrow at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi · Ai-Ais/Richtersveld
Northern CapeSelf-driveStays in Northern Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Passer motitensis
Records
101
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Great Sparrow on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Great Sparrow in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Great Sparrow at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and Mapungubwe National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Great Sparrow in South Africa?
The Great Sparrow is most recorded in North West (50% of records), Limpopo (32% of records), Northern Cape (10% of records), based on 101 iNaturalist observations. 57 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Great Sparrow on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Great Sparrow?
The Great Sparrow is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Mapungubwe National Park: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Great Sparrow?
The Great Sparrow (Passer motitensis) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Great Sparrow?
The great sparrow, also known as the southern rufous sparrow or the rufous sparrow (Passer motitensis) is found in southern Africa in dry, wooded savannah and towns.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Great Sparrow
Every stay on the Great Sparrow page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay