Page 377 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SPARROWS
Order Passeriformes Family Passeridae Species Passer domesticus
House Sparrow

thick black
bill
grey cap with
whitish red-brown sides
wingbar plain
plumage
red-brown
back black bib
MALE (bigger in
spring) IMMATURE (AUTUMN)
pale
greyish
rump yellow-brown
cap
unmarked grey
IN FLIGHT underside pale stripe
(grey-buff behind eye
on female)
plain
brown
tail
MALE (SUMMER)
ecent declines have seen
Rnumbers in gardens and town FEMALE
parks reduce and farmland flocks disappear but House Sparrows
remain almost as widespread as ever.They are familiar in towns and
gardens and even in farmland concentrate around buildings. Males
are easily recognized, although they look quite like Tree and Spanish
Sparrows. Females lack the bold patterns and can be taken for some FLIGHT: fast, whirring, with bursts of rapid
finches, but in reality are equally distinct. House Sparrows are wingbeats; often in noisy flocks.
typically social and noisy birds. WINTER MALE
VOICE Basic lively, simple chirrup, chilp; loud In winter, the red-brown band
chattering chorus from flocks; series of chirps behind the eye and dark bib are
forms simple song. partly obscured by pale feather tips.
NESTING Untidy nest of grass and feathers, in
roof space, cavity in wall, in House Martin nest
(see p.277), tree cavity, or more openly in
creepers and around wires; 3–7 eggs; 1–4 broods;
April–August.
FEEDING Usually on ground, taking seeds, buds,
roots, berries, and many insects for young;
catches some insects clumsily in flight; visits bird-
tables for nuts, seed mixtures, and kitchen scraps.
SIMILAR SPECIES SUBSPECIES OCCURRENCE
Resident almost throughout
CHAFFINCH 2 SPANISH SPARROW 3 P. d. italiae Europe, but only very local in
similar to 2; similar to 3; see p.376 (Italy)
see p.380 big white Iceland. Thrives in villages, around
duller cheeks brown farms, and in all kinds of habitats
crown
white close to human habitation, but has
wingbars white declined recently on farmland, in
cheeks
towns, and in suburban gardens.
streaked Seen in the UK
below J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 14cm (5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 20–22cm (8–9in) Weight 19–25g ( 11 ⁄16 – 7 ⁄8oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan 2–5 years Status Secure
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