Overview
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: Small, introduced sparrow, black-streaked red-brown upperparts, buff underparts, single white wing-bar. Head has chestnut-brown crown, small black mask, chin, ear patches. Swift bounding flight, alternates rapid wing beats with periods of wings pulled to sides.
Range and Habitat
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: Native of Europe and much of Asia; introduced to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1870. Preferred habitats include city parks, suburban areas, and farmlands.
Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)
ORDER
The order PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez), a large taxonomic order of one hundred eighteen families of birds, includes finches such as the weavers, the New World sparrows, and the Old World sparrows.
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The Passeridae family (pronounced pas-SER-ih-dee), which includes the Old World sparrows, contains forty-five species in eleven genera mostly found in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
NORTH AMERICA
There are two species of Passeridae in one genus that occur in North America. These two species are the familiar House Sparrow and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
KNOWN FOR
The House Sparrow is known for being one of the most familiar bird species. This and a few other members of the Passeridae often nest around houses and have become so adapted to living with people that they are rarely found away from human habitations.
PHYSICAL
Members of the Passeridae are small birds with medium length tails, short wings, and medium length, strong legs and feet. They have fairly large heads with large, stout, strong bills suited to cracking open seeds.
COLORATION
Plumages of the Old World sparrows come in different tones of brown with gray, black and white markings. Their backs are typically streaked, and female often have duller plumages than the males. Bright colors are rare in this family and restricted to small yellow marking shown by a few species.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
In North America, the House Sparrow occurs around human habitations from the northern edge of the boreal zone in Canada south to Central America (where they are rare), while the Eurasian Tree Sparrow is restricted to parks and wetlands in the Saint Louis, Missouri area and adjacent Illinois.
MIGRATION
Neither of the two members of this family introduced to North America undertake migrations.
HABITS
Both North American species are very social birds, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow nesting in loose colonies, and are rarely seen alone. Although the Eurasian Tree Sparrow tends to be more arboreal, both species mostly forage on the ground for seeds and grain, also taking insects.
CONSERVATION
Neither species of the Passeridae in North America is threatened, the introduced House Sparrow being one of the most common and abundant bird species in the United States and Canada. However in England, the House Sparrow is experiencing declines in numbers likely due, among other things, to modernizing of agricultural methods.
INTERESTING FACTS
Although both species of Passeridae were introduced to North America around the same time (the 1850s), the Eurasian Tree Sparrow has never been able to establish populations very far from Saint Louis, its original point of release. It may not be as common as the House Sparrow because of competition from that species and because it is not as adaptable to living with people.