Sparrow

Sparrows are a common sight the world over. Eurasian house sparrows and tree sparrows are among the most common. Not only do they occupy a large natural range, but they’ve also invaded several continents as settlers took the birds with them. These birds have adapted well to living near people, from cities to farm fields.

These birds have been symbols in songs, pets, and food sources. You can learn more about this small bird that has played a role in human lives throughout history.

Habitat: Where To Find Them

Old World species are native to Africa, Asia, and Europe, but they have been naturalized in the Americas and Australia. New World sparrows live in the Americas.

The bird’s natural habitat is that of open woodlands, fields, grasslands, scrubland, and deserts. They have adapted well to life around humans, and they can be found in cities and neighborhoods in large numbers. If you want to view these birds, you are certain to attract them with a backyard bird feeder.

Scientific Names

Most of these birds are classed as Old World or New World sparrows. The Old World species are also called “true sparrows.” They make up eight genera in the family Passeridae, superfamily Passeroidae, infraorder Passerida, suborder Passeri, order Passeriformes, class Aves (birds), phylum Chordata, and kingdom Animalia.

The 43 species of Old World sparrows, with their scientific names, include:

• Abd al-Kuri sp. (Passer hemileucus)
• Afghan snowfinch (Montifringilla theresae)
• Arabian golden sp. (Passer euchlorus)
• Black-winged snowfinch (Montifringilla adamsi)
• Blanford’s snowfinch (Montifringilla blanfordi)
• Cape sp. (Passer melanurus)
• Chestnut sp. (Passer eminibey)
• Cinnamon ibon (Hypocryptadius cinnamomeus)
• Dead Sea sp. (Passer moabiticus)
• Desert spa. (Passer simplex)
• Eurasian tree sp. (Passer montanus)
• Great sp. (Passer motitensis)
• House sp. (Passer domesticus)
• Iago sp. (Passer iagoensis)
• Italian sp. (Passer italiae)
• Kenya sp. (Passer rufocinctus)
• Kordofan sp. (Passer cordofanicus)
• Northern grey-headed sp. (Passer griseus)
• Pale rockfinch (Carpospiza brachydactyla)
• Parrot-billed sp. (Passer gongonensis)
• Père David’s snowfinch (Montifringilla davidiana)
• Plain-backed sp. (Passer flaveolus)
• Rock sp. (Petronia petronia)
• Rufous-necked snowfinch (Montifringilla ruficollis)
• Russet sp. (Passer cinnamomeus)
• Sahel bush sp. (Gymnoris dentata)
• Saxaul sp. (Passer ammodendri)
• Shelley’s sp. (Passer shelleyi)
• Sind sp. (Passer pyrrhonotus)
• Socotra sp. (Passer insularis)
• Somali sp. (Passer castanopterus)
• Southern grey-headed sp. (Passer diffusus)
• Spanish sp. (Passer hispaniolensis)
• Sudan golden sp. (Passer luteus)
• Swahili sp. (Passer suahelicus)
• Swainson’s sp. (Passer swainsonii)
• Tibetan snowfinch (Montifringilla henrici)
• White-rumped snowfinch (Montifringilla taczanowskii)
• White-winged snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis)
• Yellow-spotted bush sp. (Gymnoris pyrgita)
• Yellow-throated bush sp. (Gymnoris superciliaris)
• Yellow-throated sp. (Gymnoris xanthocollis)
• Zarudny’s sp. (Passer zarudnyi)

There are around 138 species of New World sparrows divided into 29 genera. These birds are more closely related to Old World finches than to Old World sparrows. The chipping, white-throated, and field sparrows are examples of New World sparrows.

Other sparrows include the Java (scientific name Lonchura oryzivora) and Timor sparrows (L. fuscata) of the family Estrilididae and the dunnock or hedge accentor (Prunella modularis) of the family Prunelidae.

Evolution

It is hard to account for the history of house sparrows because they are so ubiquitous. We have a tendency to overlook commonplace creatures, and even scientists would rather study rare species than those that are common. The story of the relationship between sparrows and humans is ancient and incomplete, much like our own history. As a result, it is difficult to tell the story of the house sparrow accurately.

Evidence of the house sparrow first appears in Africa, and two jawbones belonging to a bird called Passer predomesticus were found in Israel in sediment more than 100,000 years old. After this, other birds similar to the modern house sparrow began appearing in the fossil record approximately 10,000 or 20,000 years ago. These birds had distinct features on their mandibles, like a crest of bone where there had been only a furrow before.

As humans spread agriculture across the world, house sparrows spread with them and evolved to adapt to the different regions. This caused sparrows around the globe to all originate from one single line of descent. House sparrows have continued to evolve as humans have taken them to different environments, leading scientists to classify them into subspecies and even species. An example of this is when house sparrows met with Spanish sparrows in parts of Italy, forming a hybrid species called the Italian sparrow.

Size, Appearance, & Behavior

These are small brown and gray birds with conical or cone-shaped beaks. Some, like the red-headed chipping and white-throated sparrows, have distinctive markings on their heads. Others, like the song sparrow, are blotched in brown and cream. Finches, such as the red-headed house finch, are often mistaken for sparrows.

The smallest is the chestnut sparrow. It is 4.5 inches (11.4) long and weighs less than half an ounce (13.4g). The largest is the parrot-billed sparrow, which weighs in at 1.5 oz (42g) and has a length of 7.1 inches (18 cm).

These birds forage in small to large flocks. Many species may be present in a single flock. This changes at mating time, when the flock is limited to just one type of sparrow. Abundant varieties include song, chipping, white-throated, and red-headed sparrows.

A common behavior of these birds is dust bathing. The bird scratches a hole in the ground with its feet, settles into it, and flings dust onto its body using its wings. They also like to bathe in puddles.

Migration Pattern and Timing

Many types of sparrows survive cold or inclement weather by retreating into the eaves of buildings, tree cavities, or even behind sections of loose tree bark. Others, such as the American tree sparrows, migrate south to find warmer weather.

Sparrows are small, brown birds that migrate seasonally. During their migration, sparrows travel in large groups and fly from one place to another to find food or a more suitable climate for nesting. Sparrows usually migrate during the fall months when temperatures start to drop and food sources become scarce. They can be seen flying in tight formations as they make their way southward. This helps them stay together as a group and also protects against predators such as hawks. Some sparrows will even take breaks along the way at stopover sites where they can rest before continuing with their journey. It is estimated that some species of sparrows have traveled over 10,000 miles during their migrations!

Diet

These birds are opportunistic feeders. Sparrows mainly eat seeds and grains, but they will also supplement their diet with insects, fruits, and small animals such as spiders or snails. Sparrows typically hunt for food by hopping along the ground, looking for insects to eat, or searching trees and shrubs for berries or seeds. They may also scavenge around human dwellings, looking for crumbs that have been left behind. To get a better view of their surroundings while hunting, sparrows often perch atop branches or telephone wires.

Predators and Threats

Hawks, owls, and cats commonly hunt adult birds. Young flightless birds and unhatched eggs are preyed upon by raccoons and snakes. Crows, jays, and grackles may also eat the eggs.

In some parts of the world, people eat these birds. People have also been a threat to sparrows through intentional and unintentional agricultural poisoning.

What Eats Sparrows?

Birds of prey, cats, snakes, and sometimes people are their predators.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Sparrows are social and colonial in their habits, meaning they live in large groups or flocks. These groups have been known to include up to 10,000 individuals. The exception is the great sparrow, which prefers small family groups and breeds only in pairs.

These birds often nest on buildings, finding protected areas to build a nest and lay 4 to 5 eggs. Eggs hatch after 10 to 14 days. Both parents feed the babies, and each baby leaves the nest in about two weeks.

In many species, these birds mate for life and continue to use the same nest site, clutch after clutch, baby after baby. If a sparrow’s mate dies, it typically finds a new one within a few days.

Population

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is thought to be the most abundant bird in the world, with an estimated population of 1.6 billion individuals. When combined with nearly 200 additional species, there are no doubt many more of these birds than humans in the world!

Some species of sparrows are in decline due to habitat loss. For example, the chipping sparrow, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, vesper sparrow, field sparrow, and Italian sparrow are all in decline.