House sparrow Passer domesticus

Habitat and ecology

It is believed that the house sparrow was originally found in the Middle East and spread with agriculture to most of Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Shipborne and natural dispersal as well as deliberate introductions are responsible for its introduction to the rest of the world. House sparrows feed mainly on vegetable material, particularly seeds of grasses, cultivated cereals and low herbs, but also buds, berries as well as a wide range of household scraps^[1].  It is a gregarious species, forming flocks at times with other species of birds, roosting communally, and engaging in other social activities such as bathing in dust or water and singing together. House sparrows typically form monogamous pairs, with males attracting females by starting nest construction and calling and/or making displays. The pairs build their nest from dried vegetation, feathers, string and paper. A clutch of one to eight eggs are laid at any time in the nesting period and a pair may have up to four clutches per nesting season. Both males and females incubate the eggs for 10 to 14 days at intervals of a few minutes each.^[2]

Conservation and management

The house sparrow is the most widely present wild bird, and on all continents except Antarctica. It is therefore considered as a species of ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List. At the intersection of urban settlements and agricultural areas they are found in particularly high densities where they may evict native birds from their nests and out-compete them for resources and are therefore considered a pest or invasive species. Nevertheless, their population has been declining, most notably in Western Europe, where their decline is attributed to a lack of availability of invertebrate food sources necessary for feeding the young.