The Sudan Golden Sparrow is native to Africa just south of the Sahara, from Senegal through to Ethiopia, including south Sudan.
It is sometimes included in a separate genus from Passer, together with the Arabian Golden Sparrow and the Chestnut Sparrow.
It congregates in large, sometimes mixed, flocks of thousands.
Only the male (top, centre) has the golden head and front that give the bird its name; the female (top, right)
is pale brown with a lemon tinge and the juveniles greyer.