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Sparrow Facts
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House
Sparrow (Male) Passer domesticus
copyright Nikhil Devasar |
It is thought that the House sparrow originated
in the Mediterranean and expanded its range
into Europe with the growth of civilization.
Through the introduction to islands and
continents it would otherwise not have reached,
it has become one of the most widely distributed
land birds in the world (Summers-Smith,
1988). It is only absent from areas such
as China, Indochina, Japan and areas of
Siberia and Australia to the east and tropical
Africa and northern areas of South America
to the west (Summers-Smith, 1988).
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House
Sparrow (Female) Passer domesticus
copyright Nikhil Devasar |
Breeding habitat is mostly
associated with human modified environments
such as farms, and residential and urban
areas. Absent from extensive woodlands,
forests, grasslands, and deserts. One pair
of House sparrow was found in a coal mine
in Yorkshire 600m underground and survived
on the food given by the miners. It was
once a very common bird all over the country
whether it was a bustling urban area or
a small hamlet. In South India people even
considered it a Good omen if the house sparrow
built a nest inside their houses under the
rafters or a niche in the wall. Such was
the bond between Man and Sparrow that it
came to be classified as a Domestic species
and hence the name Passer domesticus.
House Sparrows feed primarily
on seeds (and kitchen scrap where provided
by feeding stations). However, insects
such as aphids and caterpillars form an
important part of the diet of young chicks.
Sparrow Facts
It is thought that the House sparrow originated
in the Mediterranean and expanded its
range into Europe with the growth of civilization.
Through the introduction to islands and
continents it would otherwise not have
reached, it has become one of the most
widely distributed land birds in the world
(Summers-Smith, 1988). It is only absent
from areas such as China, Indochina, Japan
and areas of Siberia and Australia to
the east and tropical Africa and northern
areas of South America to the west (Summers-Smith,
1988).
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House
Sparrow (Adult Male in Breeding
Plumage) Passer domesticus copyright
Nikhil Devasar |
Breeding habitat is mostly
associated with human modified environments
such as farms, and residential and urban
areas. Absent from extensive woodlands,
forests, grasslands, and deserts. One
pair of House sparrow was found in a coal
mine in Yorkshire 600m underground and
survived on the food given by the miners.
It was once a very common bird all over
the country whether it was a bustling
urban area or a small hamlet. In South
India people even considered it a Good
omen if the house sparrow built a nest
inside their houses under the rafters
or a niche in the wall. Such was the bond
between Man and Sparrow that it came to
be classified as a Domestic species and
hence the name Passer domesticus. |
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House
Sparrow (Male) Passer domesticus
copyright Vijy Cavale 2002 |
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Two other
sparrow species occur in the Delhi
area and identifying the females can
be tricky. The slightly larger Spanish
Sparrow is a winter visitor, usually
seen in agricultural areas but also
in villages. In full plumage the male
has a rich chestnut crown and nape,
darker upperparts and much more black
on its underparts. However in its
non-breeding plumage (most commonly
seen here) all the feathers are white
edged and it is much paler and duller.
The female usually shows more obvious
supercilia and with care fine streaking
can be seen on the underparts. In
practice she is usually identified
because she is consorting with a male.
Since 2000 the rare Sind Sparrow has
joined the avifauna of Haryana and
parts of north Delhi itself. It was
first discovered by the indefatigable
Suresh C.Sharma in January of that
year and breeding was proved in the
May. It has probably colonized along
the canals and it is in babuls along
canal embankments or in nearby crops
and seeding grasses that it is most
likely to be seen. Its main range
is in the Indus Valley of Pakistan
and it was only regularly encountered
in India along the Sutlej in the Punjab.
It is smaller and slimmer |
than the House Sparrow with which it sometimes
feeds. The male has a grey crown and nape
with chestnut partial cheek borders and
most strikingly a small "clean"
oblong-shaped bib. The female is similar
to a House Sparrow but with more obvious
supercilia. It usually shows some chestnut
on its lesser wing coverts. Often the first
suggestion of the species is its higher
call notes which when extended into its
simple song often contain notes similar
to White Wagtails.
| While
the Sind
Sparrow appears to be increasing
there has been much talk recently
that the House Sparrow has declined
in Delhi in the last few years. Unfortunately
the lack of systematically collected,
long-term data makes this difficult
to prove but it is possible that there
is both a lack of nest sites in the
new buildings and a shortage of insects
(on which these adult seed-eaters
feed their young) due to air pollution.
However it is still a common bird,
familiar to and commensal with man,
and there are few housing colonies
that don't have their chirpy population.
Certainly there have been major declines
in Britain and other European countries,
particularly in urban |
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House
Sparrow (Female) Passer domesticus
copyright Vijy Cavale 2002 |
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