Only 100 House Sparrows were introduced into Brooklyn as recently as 1851. Now they are established as one of the most common birds across the entire US with over 150 million birds!. The species is native to Europe but have been introduced and thrive all over the world.
The song of the House Sparrow consists of cheep or chirrup notes repeated over and over. The birds sing year-round, although less frequently in August and on cold and rainy days.
Males in breeding plumage (above) have a gray crown, with chestnut bordering the crown and extending down the back of the neck. The cheek and side of the neck is white. A black bib extends to the throat and meets the black stripe in front of the eye. The bill is dark gray black, and the legs are pale brown. The rump is gray, the shoulders are chestnut, and the wings are brownish with a white wing bar. The tail is gray brown. Winter males may lack the bright colors and black bib.
Females (below) have a grayish brown crown and a grayish buff superciliary stripe. They lack the chestnut and black colors of the male, and their upperparts and wings are much grayer than the male. The back is light brown with black streaks; the rest of the head, breast, and sides are grayish brown. The belly is dull white. The bill and legs are pale brown. Immature males resemble females, except for the darker crown and a faint grayish bib.
Photo © Roy Harvey
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