The Desert Sparrow is distributed in sandy deserts at oases and near settlements in Africa north of the Equator and in the deserts of Central Asia. Some authorities split the species into African Desert Sparrow P. simplex and Asian Desert Sparrow P. zarudnyi. See the distribution map at Birdlife International.

Because of the arid nature of their habitat they tend to get most of their water intake from the seeds and vegetation that they eat.