Scientific Name: Passer Domesticus.

Identification:

The male house sparrow has a grey crown, white cheeks, chestnut or mahogany red banding behind his eyes and on his wings, and a black bib.

It is said that bib size is determined by the health of the bird so the larger it is, the healthier and more dominant the male.

In winter he has a yellow/brown beak. In summer, this turns black.

The female has a darker crown, light banding behind her eyes and a pale brown underside. She is much duller in appearance than the male.

Length: 14-15 cm.

Weight: 24-32 g.

Wing Span: 21-25 cm.

To maintain flight, wing flapping is continous.

U.K. Population: approximately 13 million.

Conservation Status: Red List.

When Seen: all year round.

Habitat:

House sparrows live in colonies of between ten and forty birds and are never very far away from humans.

They form monogomous breeding pairs, which remain faithful to their nesting sites, and to each other. But if one or the other dies or is killed, the remaining bird will quickly bond with another.

House sparrows never stray far from their own place of birth, and spend their entire lives in the same location.

Nesting Sites:

House sparrows will nest under roof eaves and in crevices and holes in walls and out-buildings, etc.

The nest itself is made from straw, moss, twigs, leaves, string, feathers, tissue paper and any other suitable bits and pieces the birds can find.

House sparrows will happily build their nest inside your own nesting box.

Nest Building: Feb - May.

Breeding: April - August.

The above is typical but nest building & breeding can take place at any time throughout the year!

Number of Broods Per Season: usually 2 or 3 but 4 is not uncommon if the conditions are right.

Number of Eggs Per Brood: average 2-5.

Egg Description: smooth & white with grey/black speckles.

Incubation Period: 10-14 days.

Both parents will incubate their eggs.

Fledge Period: 14-16 days.

Post Fledge Care: initially, fledglings are unable to fend for themselves after leaving the nest so food is provided for approximately 14 days. Mum will be busy preparing for her next brood during this period so this role is left mainly to dad!

Time Until Next Brood: approximately 7 days after previous brood has fledged.

Food: house sparrows are omnivorous and will eat nuts, seeds, berries, fruit, spiders, crane flies, aphids, mosquitos, human scraps, etc.

Unless you provide food in elevated containers & trays, etc., sparrows will forage around on the ground and in shrubs and bushes in search of their food.

Feeding: chicks are fed by both parents (by means of regurgitation).

Note: you must never attempt to place food directly into an occupied nesting box. Doing so could make the parent birds abandon their nest... and its contents!

Life Expectancy: house sparrows can live for several years if their needs are met. It is reported that a house sparrow has lived to be over 13 years old, although life expectancy is more likely to be less than ten, and quite probably more like four or five!

Predators: cats are the most likely predator the sparrows will encounter in and around your garden, and they are a particular threat to fledglings when they first leave the nest. If you keep cats, it is recommended that you attach a collar bell. This will help the birds to escape if they are being stalked.

Legal Notices:

It is illegal to disturb nesting birds. If you are installing a nesting box, it is recommended that you clean and maintain it in October or November, when it will be unoccupied.

It is illegal to remove or keep sparrow eggs, but any unhatched eggs left in the nest can be removed when cleaning, although they must be destroyed.

You must never attempt to keep a house sparrow in captivity, except when an injured bird requires care & attention while recovering, after which time it must be released.

If you would like to keep a sparrow as a pet, a fledgling Java sparrow is a highly recommended alternative. In a safe and peaceful environment, and with patient training, they make excellent companions. See the SparrowCam Photo Galleries for photos of our pet Java sparrows.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, sparrows are a protected species and it is illegal to intentionally cause them harm. However, a severely injured bird in pain and distress may be dispatched in a humane manner if this is the most appropriate course of action.

This factfile is Copyright © 2007, SparrowCam.com