Sparrow

•Sparrows are loosely monogamous. Both the female and the male take care of the young ones, though the female does most of the brooding.

•These birds are aggressive and social, which increases their ability to compete with most native birds.

•They can swim to escape from predators, although they are not considered to be water birds.

•The difference between a male and a female sparrow is that the former has a reddish back and a black bib, whereas the female has brown back with eye stripe.

•Sparrow nests are bulky, roofed affairs. They are haphazardly built and without good workmanship, unlike what is displayed by other weaver finches.

•The nest building is initiated by an unmated male, who begins the construction while displaying it to the females. The females do assist in nest building, but are less active than the male.

•In cool season, sparrows build specially created roost nests or roost in streetlights, to avoid losing heat during the winter.

•Sparrows are generally not territorial, but they are quite aggressive when it comes to protecting their nest from intruders of the same sex.

•They prefer to live near human dwellings, especially if there are bird feeders. They are generally found in farming areas, cities and suburbs.

•Sparrows are around 14-16 cm long. They are chirpy, with grey and brown color. They have the ability to fly at the speed of 38.5 km/hour and can even reach a speed of 50 km/hour.

•These birds usually nest in cavities, but some may nest in bushes and trees as well. They build untidy nests of grass and assorted rubbish, including wool, feathers and fine vegetative material.

•Manmade environments have always been a source of food and shelter for sparrows. They usually nest under the eaves of homes and in holes in the walls of buildings or in climbing plants that grow on walls.

•Sparrows raise three nests of 3-5 eggs. Both male and female helps to incubate the eggs for 12-15 days. The fledglings usually fly out after 15 days.

•The population of sparrows has been declining, as there is less food for them, because of fewer gardens. They are now on the threatened birds’ list in many parts of the world.