Length: 14-15cm
Wingspan: 21-21.5cm
Conservation Status: Red
Description: House sparrows are small brown birds with a short pointed black beak and one of the most familiar birds in the UK. Male house sparrows are recognised by their grey crown, cheeks and under parts, and black throat, upper breast and between the bill and eyes. Female house sparrows look very different and are much duller than males with grey-brown plumage and no black head patterns. Juvenile house sparrows look very similar to females.
Nesting: House sparrows nest near to populated areas, in towns, villages and farms. They can even be found in house lofts where they enter through broken guttering. House sparrows will also use other birds’ abandoned nests but usually build their own in manmade structures, holes in walls and under eaves. The nest is untidy and built of stems, stalks, paper and other rubbish. Several males may court a female in a group display chirping loudly with drooping wings and cocked tails, and if the female flies off she will be relentlessly pursued by the whole gang. Once they find a mate most house sparrows stay in pairs for life and will use the same nesting site for several years running. House sparrows typically produce 2-3 broods of 3-6 pale eggs and incubate these eggs for 12-14 days.
Feeding: House sparrows will feed in large groups rowdily foraging on the ground, especially in winter. They are aggressive and dominate feeders trying their best to prevent other birds from accessing any food that’s available. They have a diverse diet and will eat just about anything including seeds, insects and larvae, fruits, berries and food scraps.
Information and image from Garden Bird Supplies
If you want to attract house sparrows to your garden then you may be interested in the following products:
Sparrow terracesg(74608)a(1252932))
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