April
21, 2009 - We raised our first purple martin house in the open area
of the front yard. After purchasing a twelve apartment building-
white, or course, with a blue roof, we had trouble finding the
appropriate pole to mount it. After searching several stores and the
internet, we were finally equipped to start (with speedy service
from the manufacturer of the home).
After several days, the first birds swooped around the house and
stopped to look in some of the openings. These tree swallows were
quickly chased away by very persistent house sparrows. One by one
most of the apartments were filled with very busy females, carrying
sticks and nest stuff back to their chosen apartments. They would
push and then pull the little twigs and dried vegetation through the
holes until no nest evidence hung outside the doorway.
The male house sparrows seemed to take turns guarding the female
activity from the vantage points of the plastic "antenna" perches. The
tree swallows went in search of more private nesting boxes in the
backyard.
While we haven't watched the house with any regularity, it seeds oddly
quiet and inactive after a day or two of frantic nest building. We'll be
paying more attention now.
March 2, 2009 - We had several sightings
of the house sparrow today because of the
pictures captured by the Wingscapes camera (motion activated). We
get excited about almost any bird or creature who might venture into our
backyard.
It is acceptable to destroy a house sparrows nest and eggs because
they are not a native bird of North America and therefore not
federally protected. We certainly have some cause to dislike these
birds for their destructive behavior to to our nesting bluebirds (see
history below). However, it's been noted recently that these birds
are quite remarkable and actually dearly loved in other area of the
world.
House
sparrows inhabit all continents except Antarctica, and thus are the most
widely distributed wild bird. They settle around humans; and the
replacement of natural habitats with buildings and farm lands has not
affected these birds as adversely as other birds. They are even
happy to use our discarded trash as part of their nesting materials.
Physical traits of the house sparrow also make for better survival.
They have the shortest incubation time of any bird; and both parents
work very hard feeding the young at a faster rate (3 to 4 times) than
that of other birds. Feeding the nestlings high-protein larvae of many
insects acts as a natural pesticide, thus helping the planet, as well.
These facts, taken with the recent knowledge that humanity has so
changed the natural environment that even populations of house sparrows are
decreasing (especially in areas of the world that these birds can call
their native homes), I find a justification for not destroying the house
sparrow nesting activity in my backyard.
We like all birds in general and enjoy watching them do what comes
naturally to them. We may modify behavior by moving bird feeders around,
serving certain types of bird food and planting native trees, shrubs and
flowers for the food and shelter they provide. We even provide
nesting materials and have added many new bird houses in the hope
that we can accommodate as many birds as possible in our own little
habitat.
November 16, 2008 -
While
scanning
the backyard looking for photo opportunities, I noticed a
group of ground grazers that
consisted of
mourning doves, blue jays and several sparrow-like
birds. I was expecting to see American tree sparrows, since
these guys were with us all last
winter. I had only one
sighting of
them this fall in mid October. I've been
watching for
this
group ever since the chipping
sparrows left the first day of
September. Instead, I saw several house sparrows, both male
and female. I hadn't seen these guys since last June, when their
last fledgling had left the nest they placed in one of the
birdhouses.
This sparrow-like bird is actually a weaver finch and not really
related to our domestic sparrows. Around 1850 New York City was
plagued with green inch worms that were destroying trees. None of
the local, native birds would eat them. In desperation, a few house
sparrows from Europe were introduced and set free in Central Park. These
birds, liking the taste of green inch worms, solved the problem.
They thrived and bred their way across the whole continental US. Usually
seen near cities and suburban areas, they love being near people and
buildings.
Messy nests are built of whatever scraps can be found in whatever
crevice available. However, the house sparrow has become a
problem for native birds as they often find it preferable to steal
nesting areas from bluebirds and swallows.
They attracted our attention when we followed the real estate wars in
our backyard in early May. The tree swallows moved the bluebirds
from the closest bird house (for photo purposes), then found they needed
to defend it from the house sparrows. The
bluebirds had settled into their second choice and laid three eggs. The
house sparrows, who had been surprisingly defeated by the swallows, were
more successful in removing the bluebirds. After they settled into
the second birdhouse, we sadly found the three bluebird eggs smashed on
the ground right under the house. The bluebird pair had left our
backyard for the season.
The tree swallow continued to build her nest and found pieces of a
plastic bag. She placed them in her birdhouse and backed out to find
even more decorative accessories. Unaware of the static
electricity power of plastic, she flew away with a part of the bag
clinging to her. Flight helped release the bag. As the
plastic dropped, an opportunistic house sparrow swooped in, caught it on
the fly and put it in his own birdhouse. Mission accomplished! He
came back out of his house and sat proudly on his pole.
The house sparrows successfully raised at least two young. We
got a quick view of their first flights. We didn't see a lot of
the house sparrow family after the babies became independent.
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Size:
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Length: 5.5-6.5 in
Weight: 1 oz
Wingspan: 9-9.5
in
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ID:
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Male: Black bib, gray crown and undersides; rufous wings and
nape; grayish white cheeks; white wing bar; brown back and wings
with black streaking; short, conical dark bill; reddish gray
anisodactylous feet (three toes point forward and one toe points
backward)
Female: Brown crown; buffy underparts; no bib; yellowish gray
bill
Juvenile: Similar to female but browner upperparts, buffier
underparts; pinkish bill
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Habitat:
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Residential areas, parks, urban settings, and cultivated
land; not seen in undeveloped or thickly forested areas
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Diet:
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Insects and spiders, seed and grain, and fruits; mostly
ground feeder
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Family Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous usually for life although some are
promiscuous; most pairs gather in small colonies; male will
spread wings and bow to female; 2-3 broods per year
Nests: Messy sphere of grass, straw, feathers, and debris placed
in available cavities in trees or buildings; will oust other
birds from nesting boxes; male chooses site, but both sexes
build; incorporate discarded trash; may reuse for next brood or return the following year
Eggs: 4-6 white or greenish white with brown or gray speckles
especially on wider end; mostly female incubates 10-14 days
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless, naked, eyes closed) and
stay in nest 14-17 days; fed by both parents
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Social Activities:
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Aggressive and noisy; foraging flocks also roost together;
closely associates with humans who are often unwittingly provide
housing and food for these very adaptable birds
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Range:
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Southern Canada, all of US and Mexico
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Vocalization:
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Song a nonmusical, monotonous series of chirps, cheep, cheep,
cheep; call short fillip
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Lifespan: |
Up to 7 years |
