Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Pronounced (approx.): PASS-er doh-MES-tih-kus
A familiar bird of towns and farms, introduced to North America from the Old World.
Three Identification Clues
A stocky bird with a thick bill and a relatively short tail.
Adult males have a gray crown, chestnut nape, pale cheeks, and black bib.
Females are buffy-brown with a pale eyebrow and unstreaked underparts.
Field Photographs
Showing all 7 photographs.
Beyond the first impression
Plumage & Identification
Breeding plumage is only one appearance
An adult male combines a gray crown, chestnut behind the eye, pale cheeks, and a black throat patch. Outside breeding season, the bib is less extensive and the bill may be yellowish rather than black. Females and young birds have a broad pale eyebrow and much plainer underparts. [1]
A different sparrow family
House Sparrows belong to the Old World sparrow family, not the New World sparrow family of Chipping and Song Sparrows. Their full chest, large head, and heavy bill give them a distinctive build. Compare the streaking in our House Finch guide when sorting out brown feeder birds. [1]
Life history
How This Bird Lives
Where to look
Look around farm buildings, shop fronts, yards, and other places closely associated with people. Watch birds move between ground feeding areas and sheltered perches. Unlike many native sparrows, this species is not characteristic of extensive undisturbed forests or grasslands. [2]
Food & foraging
Seeds and grains form much of the adult diet, supplemented by other available foods. In summer, insects are important, particularly for growing chicks. A bird hopping after an insect is therefore behaving normally even if most of your sightings are at seed feeders. [2]
A cavity packed with nesting material
Coarse vegetation fills much of the chosen opening, with finer material lining the nest. Buildings and nest boxes are common sites; neighboring nests can even share walls. Old nests are often used again. [2]
Clutches contain 1–8 eggs. Incubation and the nestling period each last about 10–14 days. The chicks hatch naked and helpless. Observe nesting activity without reaching into an opening or disturbing its occupants. [2]
Did you know?
A Closer Look at House Sparrows
Introduced, not native
A Brooklyn introduction in 1851 helped establish this species in North America; later releases assisted its western spread. Its familiar presence today does not make it native, which is why this page retains the red non-native badge. [3]
Bathing without a puddle
House Sparrows toss loose soil through their feathers during dust baths. Repeated visits may leave a small hollow, and a bird sometimes defends that bathing spot against other sparrows. [3]
Nest holes are valuable
House Sparrows can displace native cavity nesters, including bluebirds and Tree Swallows. Learning the birds' identities and nesting behavior is an important first step when observing a nest box, rather than assuming every occupant is the intended species. [3]
Sources: [1] Cornell · Identification [2] Cornell · Life history [3] Cornell · Species overview
Range & Sightings
Seasonal Range
View Range Map ↗Recorded Observations
Observation records are not a complete seasonal range map.
iNaturalist observation map ↗