Are House Sparrows in America?

Quick Answer

Yes, House Sparrows are found throughout most of the continental United States. They were introduced to North America in the mid-1800s from Europe and have spread to inhabit most states.

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a small brown and gray bird in the sparrow family that is native to Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It has also been introduced and established itself in many other parts of the world, including North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. But are House Sparrows found in the United States? Let’s take a closer look at the history and range of this adaptable little bird.

History of House Sparrows in North America

House Sparrows are not native to North America. They were deliberately introduced to the United States and Canada multiple times in the mid-1800s as part of an effort to bring all of the birds mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare to the New World.

The first introductions occurred in Brooklyn, New York in 1851 when 100 birds were released. More introductions followed in the next two decades in New York, as well as in Portland, Maine and Salt Lake City, Utah. The birds spread rapidly across North America along the developing railroad lines.

By 1900, House Sparrows had already occupied most of their current range. Today they are found from Central America north throughout Canada, the continental United States, and Mexico.

Current Range in the United States

House Sparrows now inhabit every U.S. state except for Hawaii. They are found in both rural and urban areas, though tend to be more abundant in cities.

Some of the states with the highest House Sparrow populations include:

• California
• Texas
• New York
• Florida
• Illinois

They thrive around human habitation, and can be seen in parks, on farms, and scavenging food scraps or seed around backyard bird feeders.

Eastern United States

On the East Coast, House Sparrows are a very common sight in most urban and suburban areas. Some eastern states where they are widespread include:

• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Maryland
• District of Columbia
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia
• Florida

Though introduced, House Sparrows are well-established and an everyday part of the avian fauna in backyards and cities along the eastern seaboard.

Midwest United States

The American Midwest contains a mixture of major metropolitan areas along with extensive agricultural land, both habitats in which House Sparrows thrive. They are numerous throughout Midwest states like:

• Ohio
• Michigan
• Indiana
• Illinois
• Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• Iowa
• Missouri
• Kentucky
• Tennessee

Though cold winters may lower their populations, they bounce back in the warmer months.

Western United States

House Sparrows inhabit every state across the western half of the country and are a very recognizable element of the wildlife even in desert environments like Arizona and Nevada.

Some western states where they are numerous include:

• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Kansas
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Montana
• Wyoming
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Idaho
• Utah
• Arizona
• Nevada
• California
• Oregon
• Washington

House Sparrows are attracted to ranches, farms, and urban areas even in hot, arid environments of the Southwest and Great Basin.

Habitats

Some of the key habitats that House Sparrows occupy in their non-native North American range include:

Backyards

Backyards that provide food, water, and shrubs or trees for nesting are attractive to House Sparrows. They frequently visit backyard bird feeders for seed and use gutters or eaves to build nests.

Cities and Urban Areas

House Sparrows thrive around human habitation. They are abundant in city parks, street trees, alleys, and strip malls which provide food waste and insects.

Farms

The grains stored on farms provide plentiful food for House Sparrows. They also eat weed seeds and insects around barns, silos, and ranch structures.

Rural Areas

Even in rural areas, House Sparrows congregate near houses, barns, and other rural buildings that provide nesting sites and cover.

Coastal Regions

Coastal cities, marinas, and harbors mimic the rocky cliffs and marine environments House Sparrows adapted to in Europe. They are common in coastal urban areas.

Identification

Identifying House Sparrows is relatively straightforward. Some key identification points include:

• Size: About 6 inches in length. Plump, full-bodied sparrow.
• Color: Males have gray crowns, black bibs, warm brown backs streaked with black. Females are tan and lack the black bib.
• Behavior: Extremely social. Feed in flocks. Often nest in colonies.
• Habitat: Readily visit backyard bird feeders. Abundant in urban and suburban settings.
• Song: Males have a pleasant chirping song and a distinct chirp call.

House Sparrows are unlikely to be confused with any native North American sparrows due to their heavier build, black bibs on males, and association with humans.

Impacts

While the House Sparrow has become an integral part of North America’s avifauna, it has also had some negative impacts. These include:

• Competition with native birds – House Sparrows compete with native birds for food, water, and nesting sites. Their aggressive behavior can displace native species.
• Crop consumption – Large flocks can damage ripening crops such as grains, fruit, and rice.
• Invasive spread – Their rapid spread across North America put pressure on ecosystems unprepared for such an adaptable new species.
• Nuisance pest – Their droppings and nests can cause property damage or health hazards in some cases.

Despite this, many people enjoy their presence and they are now an everyday sight across most of the United States and beyond.

Table of House Sparrow Populations by State

Conclusion

In conclusion, the House Sparrow has become well-established across the United States since its introduction from Europe in the 1800s. It is abundant in cities, suburbs, towns, farms, and coastal areas across most states. Though it faces harsher winters in the northern states, it still maintains large populations everywhere from Florida to Alaska. The adaptable House Sparrow is now a common sight at backyard bird feeders and urban parks throughout the continental U.S., despite not being native to North America. It faces competition and even extermination efforts in some locations, but remains ubiquitous across the country. For a bird that evolved in the rocky cliffs and Mediterranean environments of Europe, the House Sparrow has certainly made itself at home in the habitats of the United States.