House Sparrows

Given that there are believed to be more than 5 million pairs of house sparrows in the country and that they recently won the top spot in the UK Big Garden Bird Watch, it may come as a surprise to learn that their population has decreased by more than 50% since the late 1970s. House sparrows have a wingspan of 21 to 25 centimeters, are somewhat bigger than robins, and may weigh up to 31 grams as adults. Both the men and females have mottled brown wings, but the males may be distinguished from the females by their characteristic head patterns. This comprises black bib, chestnut markings down the rear of the head, grey hat, white cheek patches, and a chestnut cap.