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Diet Seeds and scraps. Leg Pink, Brown. Length 14-15cm. Habitats Urban and Suburban, Farmland. UK breeding birds 5,300,000 pairs. Weight 24-38g. Wingspan 21-25.5cm. House sparrows are noisy and gregarious, often going around together in small flocks. Find out more abut house sparrows.
The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings.
House Sparrow. Cheeping flocks of House Sparrow once tumbled from untidy nests and wallowed in urban dust baths. Now the species is in decline and has been on the UK Red List since 2002. Colonial nesters, the male House Sparrow is resplendent with grey head and black bib, while the female and young are more uniformly brown.
The house sparrow is an opportunistic bird of towns and cities, parks, gardens and farmland. House sparrows feed on a variety of foods, including buds, grains, nuts and scraps, and will visit birdtables and feeders. They live in colonies and nest in holes or crevices in buildings, among Ivy or other bushes, and in nestboxes; they use a variety ...
- Appearance & Identification
- Diet
- Habitat & Distribution
- Lifespan & Predation
- Nesting & Breeding
- Behavior
- Migration
House Sparrows are small birds, frequently seen in pairs around farmland, towns, and cities. In the United Kindom and Old World, they are most easily confused with the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (P. montanus). That species also has a limited distribution in the Midwest of the United States.
Associating with humans allows House Sparrows to capitalize on our food scraps and compete with livestock for feed. Continue reading to learn more about the House Sparrow diet.
What is the habitat of a House Sparrow?
House Sparrows occur virtually everywhere people live, particularly near farming, suburban, and urban centers. They are associated with humans in most terrestrial habitats except deserts, dense forests, and high alpine areas.
What is the range of a House Sparrow?
The House Sparrow has an extensive distribution on every continent except Antarctica. Their native range includes most of Europe and much of Asia and North Africa, and they were successfully introduced to North and South America, Australia, and Southern and Eastern Africa.
Where do House Sparrows live?
House Sparrows live in gardens, parking lots, streets, around restaurants, farms, and pretty much anywhere they can find grain and food scraps. They often enter buildings like barns and even supermarkets to search for food and nesting opportunities.
How long do House Sparrows live?
House Sparrows that survive to adulthood have a typical lifespan of about three years. Wild birds can live for over 13 years, and one captive specimen reportedly survived 23 years.
What are the predators of House Sparrows?
House Sparrows are vulnerable to a wide variety of small carnivores. Hawks from the Accipiter family, such as the Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Sparrowhawk, are important predators, but others like owls, hawks, harriers, and falcons also hunt them opportunistically. Mammals like domestic cats, dogs, raccoons, foxes, and many more will hunt them too.
Are House Sparrows protected?
House Sparrows are not protected in the United States. However, they are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act in the United Kingdom, where they are a native species.
Where do House Sparrows nest?
House Sparrows are cavity nesters. They have found human buildings and dwellings provide excellent nesting opportunities, which often puts them in conflict with us. Apart from eaves, roof vents, and other suitable cavities, they will also use nest boxes and natural holes in trees and rocky areas. They may build nests in vines and dense tree foliage where suitable cavities are unavailable.
When do House Sparrows nest?
House Sparrows begin nesting in February and March, and their breeding season runs through August. Their success in colonizing North America is due, in part, to their prolific breeding abilities, sometimes producing four broods in a single year.
What do House Sparrow eggs look like?
House Sparrow eggs are whitish and heavily streaked and speckled in gray/brown. Each egg measures approximately ⅘ inch long and ⅗ inch across (21mm x 15mm), and clutches consist of one to eight eggs.
House Sparrows have fascinating behaviors, although their competitive nature has brought them into conflict with other bird species in the United States. Continue reading to learn more about House Sparrow behavior.
Do House Sparrows migrate?
House Sparrows are generally non-migratory. Populations from their northern limits in Canada may retreat south for the winter, but these birds are seen all year round in North America and the United Kingdom. There are some migratory populations in Central Asia, however.
Are House Sparrows native to North America?
House Sparrows are an introduced, non-native species in North America. They were first brought over from Europe in 1851 and spread rapidly south and east. Supplemented with introductions in California and Utah, the species has now colonized most of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America.
Are House Sparrows native to the UK?
House Sparrows are a native species in the United Kingdom, where they are still widespread and common despite significant population declines in recent history.
Find out more about what this bird likes to eat and what feeder is best by using the Project FeederWatch. The House Sparrow was introduced into Brooklyn, New York, in 1851. By 1900 it had spread to the Rocky Mountains. Two more introductions in the early 1870s, in San Francisco and Salt Lake City, aided the bird’s spread throughout the West.
People also ask
Where do house sparrows live?
How long do house sparrows live?
Where do house sparrows nest?
Are house sparrows rare?
Are house sparrows extinct?
How do house sparrows outcompete native birds?
House Sparrows nest in holes in trees somewhat less often. House Sparrow nests are made of coarse dried vegetation, often stuffed into the hole until it’s nearly filled. The birds then use finer material, including feathers, string, and paper, for the lining. House Sparrows sometimes build nests next to each other, and these neighboring nests ...
