Casual backyard birders know them as those little brown birds that crowd the feeder, aggressively denying access to competitors. Avid, experienced birders know that they are "just house sparrows," prolific and alien residents of our cities, suburbs and farmlands.
Actually members of the weaver family, these common birds were introduced to North America from Europe and, to say the least, have adapted well to our natural and man-made environments; though they look and act like our native sparrows, they have shorter legs and thicker bills. Rather dull in plumage and too abundant to interest veteran bird watchers, they are the beneficiaries of farmers and sympathetic suburbanites, who provide them with waste grain, bread crumbs, millet and other commercial bird seed.
While these immigrants have messy nesting habits and compete with native birds for natural food, one must admire their hardiness and adaptability. And, when it comes to their basic physiology and anatomy, they are just as interesting as any other bird species. But looks, habits and country of origin have a lot to do with acceptance, just as occurs in human society.
Actually members of the weaver family, these common birds were introduced to North America from Europe and, to say the least, have adapted well to our natural and man-made environments; though they look and act like our native sparrows, they have shorter legs and thicker bills. Rather dull in plumage and too abundant to interest veteran bird watchers, they are the beneficiaries of farmers and sympathetic suburbanites, who provide them with waste grain, bread crumbs, millet and other commercial bird seed.
While these immigrants have messy nesting habits and compete with native birds for natural food, one must admire their hardiness and adaptability. And, when it comes to their basic physiology and anatomy, they are just as interesting as any other bird species. But looks, habits and country of origin have a lot to do with acceptance, just as occurs in human society.
