The House sparrow is the number two urban pest bird. Introduced as a species to North America, the
house sparrow quickly spread across the country due to its lack of natural enemies and its adaptive traits.
Its ability to nest in urban structures, eat urban scraps and a large breeding capacity are some of these adaptive traits. The House Sparrow is actually a member of the weaverbird family and not a true Sparrow.
Weaverbirds create intricate nests and relative to their size, the largest nests in the bird world. Their legs and toes are favored for branch perching and their short conical bills are ideal for seed cracking. Their diet consists of seeds and grain, as well as fruits, vegetables, human table scraps and insects. They are boisterous, intelligent birds who roost in noisy flocks on branches of city trees, ivy covered walls and under eaves. Male House Sparrow have black throats and chest patches, light cheeks and brown nape.
The female has a plain brownish chest and dull eye-stripe.
Sparrow Damage:
House Sparrows are often a nuisance in manufacturing and food processing plants. Gutters and drainage pipes clogged with sparrow nests can backup and cause extensive water damage, and fires have been
attributed to electrical shorts caused by machinery housing sparrow nests. Lastly, feces buildup can lead to structural damage from the uric acid in droppings, plus the bacteria, fungal agents and parasites in the feces also pose a health risk.