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From: mjm@oliven.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Sparrow classification (was Re: Bluebird Comments)
Message-ID: <50679@olivea.atc.olivetti.com>
Date: 19 Apr 91 17:31:26 GMT
References: <1991Apr19.133714.24381@cbnewsc.att.com> <1991Apr19.154930.15917@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu>
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In article <1991Apr19.154930.15917@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu>, rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) writes:
> In article <1991Apr19.133714.24381@cbnewsc.att.com> joi@iwtdv.att.com (joy.m.metcalf) writes:
> >An interesting tidbid I got from an ornathologist at Morton Arboretum:
> >
> >Both house sparrows and starlings were *purposely* introduced by the
> >colonists because they wanted to make sure there were birds around to
> >control the insect population.
> 
> On the introduction of starlings--a man in NYC (I think) wanted to have
> all the birds from Home in an exhibit and thus purposely released 
> the European starling; I have heard he was responsible for the House
> Sparrow also.  Certainly it had nothing to do with insect control.

	The Starling was introduced by a society (person?) that was interested
in having all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works (of which the Starling
is one) introduced in America. The House Sparrow was introduced in the 1850s
after a couple of unsuccessful attempts and, I believe that I read a reference
somewhere, its purpose was to control the Lynden? Moth. The House Sparrow is
classified as being in the same family as the Old World weaver finches.

Mike