House Sparrow Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab

Male House Sparrows are brightly colored birds with gray heads, white cheeks, a black bib, and rufous neck – although in cities you may see some that are dull ... SkiptoContentHouseSparrowPhotosandVideosBreedingmaleAchunkyfull-breastedbirdwitharoundheadandastoutbill.Breedingmaleshavegraycrowns,whitecheeks,ablackbib,andachestnutneck.©EvanLipton|MacaulayLibraryMassachusetts,April16,2015FemaleFull-bodiedbirdofurbanenvironmentswithastoutbill.Femalesareaplainbuffy-brownoverallwithdingygray-brownunderparts.Theirbacksarenoticeablystripedwithbuff,black,andbrown.©AdamJackson|MacaulayLibraryMichigan,April20,2016BreedingmaleSongisaseriesoftwo-partedcheeporchirrupnotes,giventhroughoutmuchoftheyear.Femalessometimessingaswell.Breedingmaleshaveabroadblackbib,whitishcheek,andchestnutheadwithgraycrown.©JayMcGowan|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,May19,2015Nonbreeding/immatureNonbreedingmalesarestreakedbrown,black,andbuffyaboveanddingybelow.Theylackthebrightchestnutneckandextensiveblackbibofbreedingmales.Noteyellowishbillonnonbreedingbirds.©ShirleyForeman|MacaulayLibraryMissouri,December03,2016Breedingmale©DrewWeber|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,April08,2018Female(withAmericanTreeSparrow)Oftencomestofeedersoreatsfallenseeds.Femalesarestockyandbuffy-brownwithgray-brownunderparts.Notethestoutbill,stripedback,andbroad,paleeyebrowstripe.©MatthewD.Medler|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,November29,2014Juvenile©AugustDavidson-Onsgard|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,May29,2019BreedingmaleStockyOldWorldsparrowwithastoutbill.Themale'sbibbecomesdarkerblackasthebreedingseasonapproaches.©AugustDavidson-Onsgard|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,April30,2019NonbreedingmaleEatsmainlyseedsbutmayeatberriesaswell.Nonbreedingmaleshaveayellowishbillandreducedblackonthebreast.©MatthewD.Medler|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,November09,2014Female©AugustDavidson-Onsgard|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,April30,2019Nonbreeding/immature©AlexWiebe|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,December27,2019MaleandfemaleNestsintreecavitiesandbirdhouses,includingPurpleMartinhouses.HouseSparrowsareaggressiveandmayevictotherspeciestotakeovertheirnestsites.©MatthewD.Medler|MacaulayLibraryNewYork,April06,2014Breedingmale©YeraySeminario|MacaulayLibraryAndalucía,April13,2020BreedingmaleNestinholesofbuildingsandotherstructuressuchasstreetlights,gas-stationroofs,signs,andtheoverhangingfixturesthatholdtrafficlights.Alsonestsinnestboxesandcompeteswithotherspeciesforthem.©LorraineLanning|MacaulayLibraryColorado,May15,2017HabitatAssociatedwithhumandevelopment.Foundincities,parks,zoos,suburbanareas,andaroundfarmbuildings.©NatalieSandoval|MacaulayLibraryArizona,April12,2017SeemoreimagesofthisspeciesinMacaulayLibraryComparewithSimilarSpeciesClickonanimagetocompareEurasianTreeSparrowDickcisselBlack-throatedSparrowHarris'sSparrowWhite-crownedSparrowHouseFinchLookingforIDHelp?GetInstantIDhelpfor650+NorthAmericanbirds.TryMerlinBirdIDTheFourKeystoIDSize&ShapeHouseSparrowsaren’trelatedtootherNorthAmericansparrows,andthey’redifferentlyshaped.HouseSparrowsarechunkier,fullerinthechest,withalarger,roundedhead,shortertail,andstouterbillthanmostAmericansparrows.RelativeSizeAboutthesizeofaSongSparroworDark-eyedJunco,butstockier.sparrow-sizedorsmallerMeasurementsBothSexesLength:5.9-6.7in(15-17cm)Weight:0.9-1.1oz(27-30g)Wingspan:7.5-9.8in(19-25cm)©DouglasFaulder|MacaulayLibraryColorPatternMaleHouseSparrowsarebrightlycoloredbirdswithgrayheads,whitecheeks,ablackbib,andrufousneck–althoughincitiesyoumayseesomethataredullandgrubby.Femalesareaplainbuffy-brownoverallwithdingygray-brownunderparts.Theirbacksarenoticeablystripedwithbuff,black,andbrown.©EvanLipton|MacaulayLibraryBehaviorHouseSparrowsarenoisysparrowsthatflutterdownfromeavesandfencerowstohopandpeckatcrumbsorbirdseed.Lookforthemflyinginandoutofnestholeshiddenbehindshopsignsorintrafficlights,orhangingaroundparkinglotswaitingforcrumbsandpickinginsectsoffcargrills.©MatthewD.Medler|MacaulayLibraryHabitatHouseSparrowshavelivedaroundhumansforcenturies.Lookforthemoncitystreets,takinghandoutsinparksandzoos,orcheepingfromaperchonyourroofortreesinyouryard.HouseSparrowsareabsentfromundisturbedforestsandgrasslands,butthey’recommonincountrysidearoundfarmsteads.©LorraineLanning|MacaulayLibrarySpeciesinThisFamilyOldWorldSparrows(Order:Passeriformes,Family:Passeridae)HouseSparrowEurasianTreeSparrowBrowseSpeciesinThisFamilyMoretoReadGreatBackyardBirdCountIdentifyingSomeCommonSparrowsCelebrateUrbanBirdsNotJustSparrowsandPigeons:CitiesHarbor20PercentofWorld'sBirdSpeciesProjectFeederWatchAlienInvasion:PredictingtheSpreadofInvasiveBirdSpeciesNestWatchManagingHouseSparrowsandEuropeanStarlingsatBirdhousesProjectFeederWatchDoFeederHalosKeepHouseSparrowsatBay?LivingBirdMagazineTheyHadFeathers:IstheWorldReadytoSeeDinosaursasTheyReallyWere?×NeedBirdIDHelp?TryMerlin×DonotshowthisagainCancel×SearchSearchOrBrowseBirdGuidebyFamilyorShapeNeedBirdIDHelp?TryMerlinCancel×Don'tmissathing!JoinouremaillistTheCornellLabwillsendyouupdatesaboutbirds,birding,andopportunitiestohelpbirdconservation.×CloseMerlin