True to their name, house sparrows will make themselves at home in our homes. Early morning commuters notice house sparrows dart from the road just in front of them, eating moths and other insects struck by cars the night before. We commonly see them diligently collecting our leavings at outdoor cafes and picnic spots. They’re happy to eat many commercial birdseed mixtures.
House sparrows eat grains and seeds, our discarded food, and insects. Like other common urban wild neighbors, we create perfect habitat for house sparrows. They prefer to live anywhere there are people. House sparrows thrive on the food and shelter we provide. What attracts house sparrows to urban areas? Would we be better off if these places were empty and lifeless? Let’s accept these naturalized citizens and deal with the conditions we control to minimize problems.
House sparrows are often one of the only birds willing to live in inner cities. And the fact that people introduced them to this continent is sometimes held against them.
Living in close quarters with us, house sparrows can get under our skin when they get into our houses and stores, crowd other birds at feeders or birdbaths, or simply hang around in large numbers in public places.
Likely this is because they are excellent at taking advantage of the opportunities we supply. In fact, house sparrows are one of the most widespread animals on this planet. But, the house sparrow-the little brown bird we see hopping boldly on city streets-is the most widespread and most often in conflict with people. There are many different kinds of sparrows in North America.