House Sparrow

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House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Breeds spring and summer. Builds a bulky domed nest in buildings, tree hollows or shrubs. Pairs mate for life. The female incubates the eggs but both male and female build the nest and care for the young.

Details Description
Type
Bird
Group
Finches and Sparrows
Identifying Characteristics

The male has a grey crown, black face, throat and bill, chestnut brown nape and sides of neck with grey-white cheeks and grey-brown underparts. The female has a brown bill, brown upperparts with darker streaks and a buff eyebrow. Size 14-16 cm.
Distinctive Markings

The male has a distinctive grey crown, black face and throat which extends to the chest in the breeding season.
Diet

Omnivore, feeding on a wide range of food including invertebrates, seeds, flower buds, berries and food scraps.
Habitat

Parks, cities, towns, farmlands, crop growing areas.
Native Status
Introduced
Sounds
Persistent "cheep" or harsh chattering.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Passeridae
Genus
Passer
Species
domesticus
House Sparrow
Native to north-west Africa and Eurasia. Widespread in eastern Australia and Tasmania including South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Conservation Status
DEPI Advisory List
Not listed
FFG Act
Not listed
EPBC Act
Not listed

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.

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