- house sparrow
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a small, hardy, buffy-brown and gray bird, Passer domesticus, of Europe, introduced into America, Australia, etc. Also called English sparrow.[1665-75]
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One of the world's best-known and most abundant small birds (Passer domesticus, family Passeridae or Ploceidae).It lives in towns and on farms worldwide, having accompanied Europeans from its original home in Eurasia and northern Africa. Introduced into North America in 1852, it spread across the continent within a century. It is about 6 in. (15 cm) long and buffy-brown; the male has a black bib. House sparrows breed nearly year-round in warm regions. See also sparrow.
House sparrow (Passer domesticus)Eric Hosking* * *
▪ birdalso called English Sparrow(Passer domesticus), one of the world's best-known and most abundant small birds, sometimes classified in the family Ploceidae (q.v.; order Passeriformes) or separated as Passeridae. It lives in towns and on farms, worldwide, having accompanied Europeans from its original home—most of Eurasia and northern Africa. It was introduced into North America at Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1852 and within a century had spread across the continent. It is a 14-centimetre (5.5-inch) buffy-brown bird with a black bib (male only). House sparrows breed nearly year-round in warm regions. The nest, containing four to nine eggs, is an untidy bundle of straw and feathers—usually quite dirty—placed in house eaves. Both birds of the pair take part in building the nest. Formerly, large sparrow populations were supported by waste grain from the feed of horses, and the number of sparrows in urban areas declined as horses were replaced by automobiles.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
