Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!ukma!nrl-cmf!ames!decwrl!lafite.dec.com!tbrownell
From: tbrownell@lafite.dec.com (Ignem Mittere In Terrum)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: house sparrows
Message-ID: <8806101208.AA19345@decwrl.dec.com>
Date: 10 Jun 88 12:08:00 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 34


 
>We live in an area east of Seattle where the housing density is about 2
>houses/acre (lots of trees and such).  We've never seen a house sparrow
>(at our feeder or anywhere else) in the area.  But I know they're quite
>abundant in Seattle proper.
 
>One day last week we had - hummingbirds, 2 nuthatches, evening grossbeaks,
>house finches, and a hairy woodpecker in our feed-tree (snag) at one time.
>Also have a toehee (sp?) coming regularly.
-- 
>Opinions expressed are strictly my own:
>Shamus Mc Bride		uucp:      uw-beaver!uw-june!bcsaic!shamus
>(206) 865-5047                     uw-beaver!uw-june!bcsaic!wsc-sun!slm
>
>                        internet:  shamus@boeing.com

    I live in a similar environment, as far as housing density is
 concerned but with a slight twist. The entire area, about 1000 acres
 is set on the edge of a typical urban environment. I have seen House
 Sparrows at my feeders only during harsh periods in the dead of winter
 and during feeding-the-young periods in middle summer. What is very 
 interesting is that there are hoards of them living in a stand of tall
 ash trees at the end of my street, bordering a golf course. The distance
 from the sparrow infestation and my house is perhaps 200 yards yet they
 seem content to live there and not bother to travel down the street.
 I am not sure that an urban environment is required for them to be
 prolific, I am leaning more towards the reliable food sources that
 human congregations provide, ie litter and garbage. By the by, non-city
 House Sparrows are really quite beautiful. Apparently there are some
 nice markings under all that grime.

 Terry Brownell
 Hudson, Massachusetts