The Male House Sparrow Urban Companion

The bird on the right, captured in a clear side-profile on a wooden fence post, is an adult male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).…

The bird on the right, captured in a clear side-profile on a wooden fence post, is an adult male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). This highly successful, non-migratory species displays a definitive set of field marks a distinctive grey crown, contrasting sharply with the rich chestnut-brown nape. A bold black bib covers the throat and upper chest, a marking that varies in size and is often used to denote male dominance. The cheeks are white, and the upper back and wings are streaked brown and black, giving way to a plain grey belly. The males thick, dark, conical bill is clearly visible, perfectly adapted for crushing the seeds, grains, and kitchen scraps that define the omnivorous diet of this ubiquitous urban and agricultural commensal species across much of the globe.