Sometimes considered a subspecies of the grey-headed sparrow, it occurs in northeastern Africa, largely in the Ethiopian Highlands.

This sparrow was named after the English naturalist and illustrator William Swainson.

[3] It is often considered a race of grey-headed sparrow, but it tends to be darker, especially on the head and shoulders.

In Eritrea, it lives mostly on the open plateau at an altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level, and in Ethiopia it occurs in areas of 1,200–4,500 metres (3,900–14,800 ft) above sea level.

The birds also use cavities in buildings, and the old nests of the Ethiopian swallow and African sand martin.