Gould commented that in size and shape the Turkestan Sparrow was closely similar to the House Sparrow, but a glance at the illustration reveals its very different colouring and markings. These sparrows were found by the Russian naturalist, N.A. Severtzov, on high mountainous plateaux in remote areas.
The male and female sparrow are depicted lifesize. The male has conspicuous head and throat markings, the female's head is grey.
C. Dode, Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1871, p.480
DISTRIBUTION: Locally in south-central Eurasia; east of Caspian Sea in Turkestan, south-east and east of Aral Sea and around Lake Balkhash, south to Mongolia and northwestern and north-central China