Photo: Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 26.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passeridae Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
- Genus Passer
- Species domesticus
Where it lives
Mainly subarctic to subtropical Palearctic and Oriental region in anthropogenic habitats: Faroe and British Isles, northern Scandinavia east through subarctic Russia to Kamchatka; in south through Iberian Pen., northern Africa including Nile Valley, northern Eritrea, Arabian Pen., India and Sri Lanka, through northern, central southeastern Asia; introduced nearly worldwide
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The House Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The House Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) belongs to the Passeridae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR, AF mainly subarctic to subtropical Palearctic and Oriental region in anthropogenic habitats: Faroe and British Isles, n Scandinavia e through subarctic Russia to Kamchatka; in s through Iberian Pen., n Africa including Nile Valley, n Eritrea, Arabian Pen., India and Sri Lanka, through n, c se Asia; introduced nearly worldwide.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 34.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the House Sparrow?
The House Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 26.5 g.
Where does the House Sparrow live?
The House Sparrow is found across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR, AF mainly subarctic to subtropical Palearctic and Oriental region in anthropogenic habitats: Faroe and British Isles, n Scandinavia e through subarctic Russia to Kamchatka; in s through Iberian Pen., n Africa including Nile Valley, n Eritrea, Arabian Pen., India and Sri Lanka, through n, c se Asia; introduced nearly worldwide, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the House Sparrow belong to?
The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the House Sparrow eat?
The House Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the House Sparrow migrate?
The House Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the House Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the House Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the House Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the House Sparrow's range?
The House Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 34.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Song Sparrow vs House Sparrow: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Song Sparrow from a House Sparrow — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.