An Activity Guide About the Songbirds of British Columbia Family PASSERIDAE: Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) uses birdhouse uses bird feeder uses wildlife trees FIELD MARKS There is only one species of old world sparrow found in British Columbia, the House Sparrow. It is one of the most widely distributed songbirds in the world. It was first introduced to North America in the mid-1800s and has succeeded because of its ability to live with humans. These sparrows have a heavier bill than native sparrows. The male is grey on the top of his head, back of his neck and lower back. He has a chestnut patch behind his eyes and down the sides of his head, black between his eyes and bill and a white spot behind his eyes. He also has a black bib, with white on the sides of his neck and greyish-white underparts. His back is streaked with black and chestnut and he has a white wing bar and a dark brown tail. The female has dull brown upperparts and no chestnut around her eyes. Instead, she has a pale brown streak above her eye. Her back is streaked like the male's and she has similar greyish underparts but she does not have a black bib. Approximate length: 13 cm FOOD The main food source of the House Sparrow is seeds such as weed seeds, grass seeds and grain. This bird also commonly eats crumbs left by humans in urban areas as well as some insects. It mostly forages on the ground, but can also be seen eating from bird feeders and cleverly collecting insects off the front of parked cars. HABITAT The House Sparrow lives around cities, towns and farms. For the most part, this sparrow is always found around man-made structures. It is non-migratory. NESTING Nests are built in cavities such as in trees, buildings, rain gutters and even nests of other birds. If these sites are hard to find, the House Sparrow nests on the branch of a tree instead. Both the female and the male build the nest out of grass, weeds and twigs and line it with feathers. The nest is open and cup-shaped if it is in a cavity. If it is on a branch, it is a domed structure with an entrance on one side. The female lays 3-6 white or pale green eggs with brown and grey spots at the larger end. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young. STATUS The House Sparrow population is stable in British Columbia. Unfortunately these aggressive, adaptable little birds tend to out-compete some native birds for food and nest sites. In particular, they have seriously affected our Tree Swallow and Cliff Swallow populations.