One of the most common bird species in urban environments this sparrow. Within the sparrow family, there is a widespread bird that is a relative of the house sparrow. This is the tree sparrow. It is a species less dependent on humans and is found on the outskirts of populated areas, abandoned villages, and near crops, orchards, and vineyards.
In this article we are going to tell you about all the characteristics, habitat, life cycle, feeding and reproduction of the Tree Sparrow.
Key features
It is slightly smaller in size than the House Sparrow. Its main difference with he is a brown hood. On its head it has this brown hood and with distinctive black spots on the white cheeks. It also has another difference and it is a much smaller black cuirass on the throat and a collar of white feathers on the sides of the neck. He has a nomadic lifestyle, so it is never in a continuous place. Tree Sparrows are usually kept separate from Common Sparrows, although they are sometimes in the same habitat.
Originally it is a species that was introduced to North America, Australia and some Pacific islands. It nests in the hollow of the trees, in the nests of other birds and in burrows of mammals. You can also find some settlements under the roofs of the houses and plant and animal food was sustained.
It is a type of passerine bird that has a chestnut-colored crown and never. It has been introduced in some places and is also known as the Eurasian sparrow. In a nest you can find between 5-6 eggs They hatch in a short time of less than two weeks after being laid. Its diet is varied and its area of distribution is quite wide.
Tree Sparrow Range
Since it has a wide distribution area and numerous populations, they are not in danger of extinction anywhere in the world like other smaller birds, infection by parasites and diseases or predation by other birds of prey are one of its main threats. Thus, the typical duration of life of these specimens is approximately two years.
While the Tree Sparrow is more widespread in the towns and cities of East Asia, the House Sparrow breeds in urban areas. Another of its threats in its area of distribution are herbicides and the loss of fields due to stubble in winter. And it is that since they extend mainly through agricultural areas, they are more exposed to the herbicides that are used in agriculture. Sometimes it has come to be considered as a pest species, although it is well known in oriental art.
The natural breeding range includes most of temperate Europe and Asia at about 68 degrees north latitude. It is usually one of the species known as sedentary. This is because most of their time is in their common range. On the other hand, both breeding and northern populations migrate south during the winter season.
Speaking of the habitat, we know that this sparrow nest the field. In the case where there is more scarcity of trees, such as what happens in Mongolia, the species of Tree Sparrow and House Sparrow often resort to artificial structures as nesting places. I have considered it as a kind of rural bird in Europe, but in East Asia it is just an urban bird.
Eating the Tree Sparrow
This small bird feeds on seeds and grains mainly. They usually feed in flocks with house or painter sparrows. It is commonly eaten by weed seeds, some ticks and chicken feet, spilled grain, and some peanuts. It can also feed on invertebrates, especially during the breeding season and when the young feed mainly on animal foods. Therefore, they are omnivorous birds. Another of the foods that you can resort to are insects, millipedes, centipedes, and lice and spiders.
When they are adults, they are found in a variety of wetlands and are capable of foraging for invertebrate prey in order to feed the chicks. When they go to aquatic sites they play a critical role in providing adequate diversity. In addition, you can resort to the availability of invertebrate companies that are suitable to allow the rearing of the chicks to be successful.
Reproduction
Finally, we will analyze the reproduction of the tree sparrow. Their reproductive maturity is reached within a year from the erosion of the egg. Normally, submerged they usually build a rocky wall to the quality of an old tree. It is here where they feel protected against the attack of any predator. Some nests are not in holes, but are built in the roots of drooping gorse; there were some similar shrubs.
There are some pairs that tend to reproduce in complete isolation, while others do so in colonies in order to better protect each other. They are quite territorial species in terms of nesting area. The male calls from near the nest site. to proclaim their ownership and be able to attract the female. You can also bring nest material to the nest hole to show that it is a job and that it is your territory.
Preferred locations for autumnal display are often former nests of other Tree Sparrows, empty nest boxes, and holes such as those used by flycatchers, although less frequently. The typical amount of eggs in a bet is 5-6. The eggs are incubated by both parents for a period of about 13 days. The chicks are born completely naked and take one to two 18 days to develop. More or less a year there are two or three clutches. Females that mate frequently tend to lay more eggs and have a shorter incubation time. This means that mating within the pair can be an indicator of its reproductive capacity.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Tree Sparrow and its characteristics.