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House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Description:

A small bird, it has a typical length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) and a weight of 24–39.5 grams (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird. The House Sparrow feeds mostly on the seeds of grains and weeds, and insects, and can perform complex and unusual tasks to obtain food. The predators of the House Sparrow include domestic cats, hawks, owls, and many other predatory birds and mammals.

Habitat:

The House Sparrow is strongly associated with human habitations, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, and deserts away from human development.

Notes:

Found these sparrows nesting inside the rocket tube of a war memoral helecopter. Others had found holes near the landing skids and tail section which they where using as nesting sights. It seems strange to see this one time weapon of war now being used as one of the strangest bird houses I've ever seen.

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3 Comments

BudShinall
BudShinall 11 years ago

Thanks for the comments. It seemed strange seeing these small birds turning this Cobra helecopter into a save place to build thier nest. Maybe they hoped the sight of the rocket pods and minigun would scare off any cats in the area. LOL

MayraSpringmann
MayraSpringmann 11 years ago

Lovely!

Ava T-B
Ava T-B 11 years ago

BudShinall, what a great series! War and Peace! Swords into Ploughshares! I love the irony and the humor of this spotting.

BudShinall
Spotted by
BudShinall

Bristol, USA

Spotted on Jun 16, 2012
Submitted on Jun 19, 2012

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