General names
This list should be regarded as being 'in beta'. Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Many Kazakh, Turkish, and Korean glosses are highly tentative. Comments and corrections welcome.
The standard word for 'sparrow' in Mongolia is Бор шувуу bor shuvuu meaning 'dun-bird' (occasionally Боршубуу borshubuu). The term Бор bor traditionally refers to either brown or grey, and I have glossed it as 'dun'.
A number of other names can also be found, although it is not clear how much currency they enjoy. For convenience, I've divided them into several classes:
1. The House Sparrow is also known as Хятруу khyatruu. The similar name Хявуу khyavuu also exists.
2. In Inner Mongolia, at least, Бялзуухай byalzuukhai (an ill-defined term for small passerine birds -- one Mongolian-English dictionary defines it as 'birdie') is the normal term for the sparrow. Also found is Бор бялзуухай bor byalzuukhai 'dun byalzuukhai'.
3. There are several names with the common feature of beginning with бо bo-, some suggestive of the names of the larks (normally Болжмор boljmor, but with many variants) and the finches. Traditionally the three groups appear to be poorly differentiated.
One such name is Богширго bogshirag (also Бор богширго bor bogshirag 'dun bogshirag), which in the latest official names has been assigned to the Alauda larks. A similar name is Боршрого borshrog.
Богшоодой bogshoodoi is yet another name for a kind of sparrow (exact identity unclear). According to one dictionary, Эргийн бор богшоодой ergiŋ bor bogshoodoi 'shore dun sparrow' is "a kind of grey sparrow that lives in valleys and steppes".
4. One final name for the sparrows is Хөх бор азарга khökh bor azrag 'darkblue brown azrag'. However, Азрага azrag is used in Inner Mongolia for the buntings.
5. The Buryat word for 'sparrow' is Борбилоо borbiloo.
Regularised names:
The 2007 regularised names expand the repertoire of names to fit the scientific genera. Even the two species of snowfinch are differentiated since they belong to different genera.
| Genus | Old | New |
| Passer (Sparrows) | Бор шувуу bor shuvuu 'dun-bird' |
Боршувуу bor-shuvuu 'dun-bird' |
| Petronia (Rock Sparrow) | Бор шувуу bor shuvuu 'dun-bird' |
Боршуу borshuu |
| Montifringilla (Snowfinch) | Бор шувуу bor shuvuu 'dun-bird' |
Богшоодой bogshoodoi |
| Pyrgilauda (Snowfinch) | Бор шувуу bor shuvuu 'dun-bird' |
Божирог bojirog |
The name Богшоодой bogshoodoi is pressed into service for the snowfinch (Montifringilla). Also adopted are two words not found in dictionaries: Божирог bojirog (which appears to be a variant of Богширго bogshirag and Божрого bojrog, both names for the larks) and Боршуу borshuu.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
MONGOLIAN |
EAST ASIAN |
TURKIC |
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| Passer | ||||||||
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese (incl. Taiwan) |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
Turkish |
Passer ammodendri |
Saxaul sparrow Саксаульный воробей |
Загийн боршувуу zagiŋ bor-shuvuu 'saxaul dun-bird' |
Загийн бор шувуу zagiŋ bor shuvuu 'saxaul dun-bird' |
黑顶麻雀 (黑頂麻雀) 'black-capped sparrow' or 西域麻雀 (西域麻雀) 'Western region sparrow' (Alternative in 1) |
ノウメンスズメ (能面雀) nō-men suzume 'Noh mask sparrow' (bird's face resembles mask used in traditional Noh theatre) |
Сексеуіл торғайы seksewil torğayı 'saxaul sparrow' |
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| Passer domesticus |
House sparrow Домовый воробей |
Оронгийн боршувуу oroŋgiŋ bor-shuvuu 'orongin dun-bird' (orongin has several possible meanings). |
Оронгийн бор шувуу oroŋgiŋ bor shuvuu 'orongin dun-bird' (orongin has several possible meanings). |
家麻雀 (家麻雀) 'house sparrow' |
イエスズメ (家雀) ie suzume 'house sparrow' |
집참새 jip-cham-sae 'house sparrow bird' |
Үй торғайы üy torğayı 'house sparrow' |
Serçe 'sparrow' |
| Passer montanus |
Eurasian tree sparrow Tree sparrow Полевой воробей |
Хээрийн боршувуу kheeriŋ bor-shuvuu 'steppe dun-bird' |
Хээрийн бор шувуу kheeriŋ bor shuvuu 'steppe dun-bird' |
麻雀 (麻雀) 'sparrow' or 树麻雀 (樹麻雀) 'tree sparrow' (Alternative in 1, 3) Taiwan: (麻雀) 麻雀 'sparrow' |
スズメ (雀) suzume 'sparrow' |
참새 cham-sae 'sparrow bird' |
Жауторғай jaw-torğay 'jaw sparrow' |
Ağaç Serçesi 'tree sparrow' |
| Petronia | ||||||||
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese (incl. Taiwan) |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
Turkish |
| Petronia petronia |
Rock sparrow Streaked rock sparrow Rock petronia Каменный воробей |
Хадны боршуу khadni borshuu 'rock sparrow (variant)' |
Хадний бор шувуу khadni bor shuvuu 'rock dun-bird' |
石雀 (石雀) 'rock sparrow' |
イワスズメ (岩雀) iwa suzume 'rock sparrow' |
Тас торғайы tas torğayı 'rock sparrow' |
Kaya Serçesi 'rock sparrow' |
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| Montifringilla | ||||||||
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese (incl. Taiwan) |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
Turkish |
| Montifringilla nivalis |
White-winged snowfinch White-winged snow finch Snow finch |
Цасны богшоодой tsasni bogshoodoi 'snow bogshoodoi' |
Цасны бор шувуу tsasni bor shuvuu 'snow dun-bird' |
白斑翅雪雀 (白斑翅雪雀) 'white streak winged snow sparrow' |
ユキスズメ (雪雀) yuki-suzume 'snow sparrow' |
Қар құнақ qar qunaq 'snow brambling' |
Kar Serçesi 'snow sparrow' |
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| Pyrgilauda | ||||||||
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese (incl. Taiwan) |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
Turkish |
| Pyrgilauda davidiana Montifringilla davidiana |
Père David's snow finch Small snowfinch David's snow finch Альпийский вьюрок |
Монгол божирог moŋgol bojirog 'Mongolian bojirog' |
Монгол бор шувуу moŋgol bor shuvuu 'Mongolian dun-bird' |
黑喉雪雀 (黑喉雪雀) 'black-throated snow sparrow' |
モウコユキスズメ (蒙古雪雀) mōko yuki-suzume 'Mongolian snow sparrow' |
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