Global Range: RESIDENT: western Palearctic from British Isles, southern Scandinavia, and western Russia south to southern Europe, Egypt, and southern Asia east to Burma and Ceylon; European populations result from relatively recent expansion and may have originated from introductions. Introduced and established in Bahamas (New Providence) and has spread from there to other northern islands in Bahamas (Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini, Eleuthera, Andros) and southern Florida; now common to abundant from Tampa and Palm Beach south to Key West; recently recorded north to North Carolina and South Carolina and west to Alabama. Also introduced in Japan. See AOU (1989) and Sibley and Monroe (1990).