Why You Don’t Want House Sparrows in Your Backyard

What Do Male and Female House Sparrows Look Like?

The male house sparrow has a gray and rusty crown with pale cheeks and a black bib. The female is rather plain with dusty brown overall coloring, strong stripes on her back and patches of pale feathers behind her eyes.

Are House Sparrows Invasive?

Yes, house sparrows are an invasive bird species. Non-native to North America, they were introduced from Europe to New York in the mid 1800s. Birders tend to dislike them because they often kill native birds to take over their nesting sites (i.e. bluebird boxes or purple martin houses).

What to Do if You See Sparrows in Your Backyard

If you notice house sparrows negatively impacting native birds nesting in your yard, feel free to discourage them. Since they’re invasive, it’s legal to remove their nests. You might also try plugging the birdhouse hole until the sparrows move on. Always ensure you follow local laws and regulations.

While you might not want sparrows hanging around your home, here are great ways to attract birds you do want to see.

What Do House Sparrows Eat?

These birds tend to focus on seeds; they especially enjoy cracked corn and millet. They also might munch on flower petals or leaves. House sparrows aren’t particularly picky about what they eat. You may find them everywhere from your feeders to the grounds of an outdoor restaurant, munching on crumbs.

To get rid of them, put your feeders away until they move on. House sparrows won’t hang around if there isn’t an easy food source. You can bring your feeders back out once the sparrows are gone.

House Sparrow Call

This species is not known as a particularly musical songbird. House sparrows give a short, simple chirp call.

House Sparrow Nest Habits

Nests tend to be loosely built and messy, incorporating typical nesting materials like twigs and scraps of debris. They typically nest in cavities in trees or other structures. They’ll occasionally build nests in more open, unusual spaces like streetlights or gas station roofs.

House sparrows build nests year-round. They display fierce aggression during nesting season and compete with other birds,  especially bluebirds, for nesting sites.

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