House Sparrow

[eosuser]

Is this a common thing a House Sparrow with such white cheeks, everytime i see it the white catches my eye it is so bright. I was thinking it maybe a hybrid bird. any comments welcome.
Cheers
Brian

www.brianmcgeough.com

[Graham Etherington]

Wow! That's an interesting looking bird. I'd expect a hybrid (with Tree Sparrow) to show some signs of the dark cheek patch and a rather chestnut crown, which this bird doesn't have, but it does have a rather restricted black throat patch (young male House?) and it also has a very noticeable white band round the back of the neck, which Tree Sparrow shows.

The skin of a hybrid can be found here:
http://www.birdresearch.dk/unilang/raritet/hybrid_sparrow/hybrid.htm

It's a really hard call - one that I wouldn't like to make.

[Joe Ray]

Inclined towards an abnormal House Sparrow, I doubt a hybird House x Tree would have such a prominent grey cap/crown, and the rest of the bird apart from the white cheeks cheeks appears to be a fairly standard adult male House Sparrow IMO.

[Ben Miller]

Just a standard male House Sparrow for me - they do show very white cheeks every so often...

Here's a couple more found on the web:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/images/2005/01/13/2005_feature_bird_watching_house_sparrow_gallery_4 70x300.jpg

http://naturalpatriot.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/house_sparrow.jpg

[eosuser]

I have just found this(follow link), it is a picture of a house sparrow from India this bird seems to be very similar in appearance to the one in my garden with the white cheeks also very prominent on this bird.
I have also included another shot of my bird its not very clear as it was taken quickly through a window.
http://www.pbase.com/ayuwat_j/image/71033263

[Nighthawk]

No doubt about it being a normal male House Sparrow to me either.

[Graham Etherington]

There's your answer then. I guess I should spend less time looking at Gulls and more time looking at House Sparrows. :laugh:

[eosuser]

Me too, i can't belive i've never seen another one, unless it's a few birds and i presume it's one. I am surprised none of the other birds with it show any signs of this white, I thought it might be passed on through breeding, but i suppose it's just a throw back.

Cheers for you input.


Brian

[Nighthawk]

Hi Brian,

A sunny day and turn of the head to catch the light could also account for what you're seeing as extra white than would be normally. Just a thought as light can really play tricks on us with birds.

[eosuser]

Hi Brian,

A sunny day and turn of the head to catch the light could also account for what you're seeing as extra white than would be normally. Just a thought as light can really play tricks on us with birds.

I think due to the fact it was raining this is simply not true and if you look here you will see this bird, showing completey normal colour taken within seconds of the other one you will see just how different this bird is!!!!!!!!
http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/32163092344.jpg?8635
http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/321620071203092.jpg?9746
I do not think that is a catch light, the bird is a regular visitor that sticks out from all the others at any time of the day in any weather.
I will just put it down to a normal house sparrow with white cheeks, which most people say is normal in this species.

Cheers
Brian

[Nighthawk]

Hi Brian,

Sorry, it wasn't a criticism, just a suggestion, but if it was raining then I can easily see your point. I was going through all my House Sparrow photos earlier and, to be honest, I've nothing to match the whiteness of the cheeks of yours.

Why not get in touch with the rspb www.rspb.org.uk or bto www.bto.org/gbw/
and ask them. Offer someone both photos to show the significant difference of the two and see what they say.

All best wishes.

[eosuser]

I did look through all the sparrow pictures on birdguides as I know these to be UK Birds and few if any look this white, as for doing a web image search on these birds it is difficult because people use stock images. i.e. RSPB images use House Sparrow images taken by Mike Lane for instance who travels world wide, are all the Sparrow images he has UK Birds?? well I think that is hard to say. I have just been looking through birds I know are Uk birds and this one stuck out.

The links to pictures provided by Ben Miller Prove this as one House Sparrow picture is off an american link and the other is a badley processed image which shows the bird to be more white than it really is, a quick white balance adjusment quickly shows this bird to have grey cheeks.

Cheers
Brian

[Nighthawk]

Hi again Brian,

Not an easy one is it. I've no idea about Mike's but as you say they could well be from other countries. Would it be any good uploading it on BirdGuides and see what the general consensus was there? I still think I'd ask the BTO or RSPB for their thoughts, they must get this all the time surely.

You've got me looking at every H Sparrow in our garden now as well as searching frantically for more in my own photos, but try as I might - they're all dirty white or light grey! I see what you mean re Ben's links and the white balance adjustment too, the problems with adobe I guess!

Do try to get to the bottom of it though, it really is worth it, that's how so many of our birds have got different names after all, just one things slightly different makes it a different bird. Look at the little difference between our own Chiffchaff compared with the Siberian for starters, to say nothing of so many other warblers!

You've come this far Brian, try to solve it - for the bird's sake!

[john robinson]

Hi Brian
Good to hear from you.
I recall seeing the odd one similar to this over the years, but white is more prominent in yours though .
( Its that big white lens you cart around that's reflected onto the bird !
John

[Jaidev]

Friends,
To me, it seems to be a House Sparrow all right, nothing unusual in it.
Please try the following links. I have tried to highlight House Sparrow from India.
http://www.haryana-online.com/Fauna/Birds/house_sparrow.htm
http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/mainsite/clubreviews1.asp
http://amoghavarsha.com/v/birds/sparrow_with_kill.jpg.html
http://indianaturewatch.net/view_cat.php?tag=House-Sparrow

[eosuser]

Jaidev,

I see the sparrow pictures you provided links for are of Indian House Sparrows, As i am in the UK I would suggest that some variation in birds may become apparent as for example in Chiffchaffs of eastern race are paler than the UK counterparts, this does make them different and a rarity in the uk that generate a lot of interest. I am fully aware that this is a House Sparrow what I am interested in is the fact that UK birds tend to show grey cheeks not white as in the pictures you gave links to, this could suggest the bird that i am seeing is of an eastern race of sparrow that is not common in the UK. Im not saying that this is the case but it could be hence me asking the question. What I would like is some comparisons of UK birds that show these white cheeks as pictures of sparrows from for example India only add to my argument that this bird could be of a different origin to our UK birds, simply saying it is just a House Sparrow is not that clear cut, if that happened with i.e. The Chiffchaff we would just look and say yeah it's just a pale Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, nothing to get exicited about but we now know it is a seperate species of eastern race Phylloscopus collybita tristis.

Cheers
Brian

[Jaidev]

I am fully aware that this is a House Sparrow what I am interested in is the fact that UK birds tend to show grey cheeks not white as in the pictures you gave links to, this could suggest the bird that i am seeing is of an eastern race of sparrow that is not common in the UK. Im not saying that this is the case but it could be hence me asking the question. What I would like is some comparisons of UK birds that show these white cheeks as pictures of sparrows from for example India only add to my argument that this bird could be of a different origin to our UK birds, simply saying it is just a House Sparrow is not that clear cut,

Brian,
I m sorry. Ididnot see it with that view point.
Regards,
Jiadev.

[Colin Key]

Possible hybrid with Spanish Sparrow. I remember seeing a male Passer hispaniolensis at Waterside in Cumbria about 11 or 12 years ago; maybe it has been "putting it about a bit".

Colin

P.S. Serious suggestion :)