This is a small, shy sparrow finch that is not tied to humans (like the House sparrow). In Swedish it is called "Tamarisk sparrow" because it thrives in dry, lowland areas with access to open water and where you find tamarisk or other shrubbery. (Tamarisk is a salt-resistant shrub that is often used in plantations near the sea; the shrub is mentioned in Genesis 21:33 in the Bible). In English it is called "Dead Sea sparrow" because it occurs around this lake and in neighboring countries, east of the Mediterranean. Here a male Dead Sea sparrow perches in a tamarisk-like bush near the sewage plant in Eilat.