House Sparrow Facts It is thought that the house sparrow originated in the Mediterranean and expanded its range to Europe with the growth of civilization. Through introduction to islands and continents it would otherwise not have reached, it has become one of the most widely distributed land birds in the world (Summers-Smith, 1988). It is only absent from areas such as China, Indochina, Japan and areas of Siberia and Australia to east and tropical Africa and northern areas of South America to the west (Summers-Smith, 1988). Breeding habitat is mostly associated with human modified environments such as farms, and residential and urban areas. Sparrows are absent from extensive woodlands, forests, grasslands, and deserts. One pair of house sparrows was found in a coal mine in Yorkshire 600 meters underground and survived on food given by the miners. The house sparrow was once a very common bird all over the country, whether it was in a bustling urban area or a small hamlet. In South India, people even considered it a good omen if the house sparrow built a nest inside their houses under the rafters or a niche in the wall. Such was the bond between man and sparrow that it came to be classified as a domestic species with the scientific name Passer domesticus. House sparrows feed primarily on seeds and kitchen scraps where provided by feeding stations. However, insects such as aphids and caterpillars form an important part of the diet of young chicks.

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