Pl. XXXI
The Birds · Plate XXXI
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Passeridae · Taxon 13858
| Length | 15–17 cm (5.9–6.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 19–25 cm (7.5–9.8 in) |
| Weight | 27–30 g (0.9–1.1 oz) |
Field marks
- Chunky, full-breasted sparrow with a round head, short tail, and stout conical bill.
- Male: gray crown, white cheeks, chestnut nape, and a distinct black throat-and-breast bib.
- Female and immature: plainer buffy brown and gray, with a pale eyebrow and gray-brown underparts.
- Back and wings strongly streaked or patterned in brown, black, and buff; often shows a pale wingbar.
- Dark eye; pinkish-brown legs and a short, squared-to-slightly-notched tail.
HabitatClosely associated with human-built environments, including towns, suburbs, farms, parks, and buildings; generally absent from extensive undisturbed woodland, forest, and grassland.
BehaviorSocial, noisy ground forager that hops and pecks for seeds, grains, insects, and discarded food; often feeds in flocks and nests in cavities or niches in buildings and other structures.
Palette
graychestnut brownbuffy tanblackwhite