Animalia Life
Pyrgilauda davidiana
SUBFAMILY
none
TAXONOMY
Pyrgilauda davidiana Verreaux, 1871, Suiyuan, Inner Mongolia.
Two subspecies occur in disjunct populations.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Pиre David’s snow finch; French: Niverolle du Pиre
David; German: Mongolen Erdsperlin; Spanish: Gorriуn de
David.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5–6 in (13–15 cm). A small ground sparrow with upperparts
mostly fawn-brown and a black bib. The juvenile is dingier and
lacks the black bib.
DISTRIBUTION
Separate populations occur in eastern Inner Mongolia and
from Mongolia to the Siberian Altai.
HABITAT
High, sparsely vegetated, semi-desert plains at 6,600–15,750 ft
(2,000–4,800 m), usually close to water.
BEHAVIOR
A nomadic species, usually in small flocks. Spends much time
hidden in animal burrows when not foraging.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on grass seeds and insects.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breeds in burrows of small mammals. Lays five to six eggs.
Both sexes feed the young.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Common.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Photo Gallery of - Pere David’s ground sparrow
