The House Sparrow
These sociable birds can be found in Corkagh and all the gardens around. They are related to finches as can be seen by their thicker beak. The males and females are quite different, the male has chocolate brown wings, a grey crown and a black bib while the female has lighter brown wings buff coloured breast and white strip over her eyes.
Sparrows roost together and also build their nests next to one another. They rarely move far from their territory.
The dominant males will have a larger black bib however during the breeding season it is the females who rule the roost, chasing off males from their nesting sites and feeding tables.
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| Male on left with two females |
Sparrows feed mainly on nuts and seeds but are opportunistic and will also take insects. They will gather at water to bathe and if no water is available they will take a dust bath in loose or sandy gravel.
Nesting boxes and cavities in roofs are often used as nesting sites but they will also nest in dense Ivy.
Though Sparrows live in large groups they do mate for life. The male helps with the nest building and also with incubating the eggs. The young fledge about 4 weeks after egg laying and are fed by the male, usually with caterpillars and insects. Sparrows can raise up to three broods in a season.
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| Fledgling Sparrow about to take her first bath. |
Not all Sparrows will mate in a season but they will often help in feeding the hatchlings and fledglings.
While Sparrows still seem like a very common bird and their song is more 'chirpy chirpy cheep' than musical they are, in fact, on the decline.
