House Sparrow

Unnoticed biodiversity

Identification

Common name: House Sparrow
Latin name: Passer domesticus
Length: 15 cm
Distinguishing features: conical beak; males have a black bib and grey crown with chestnut-brown sides
Habitat: human-commensal species (companions of humans for millennia)
Diet: omnivorous
Status: heritage species, Vulnerable in the Ile-de-France region
Nesting period: March to July

Seen in the garden

The Louvre’s garden houses a population of House Sparrows that build their nests in the crevices of the façades.

In spring, observe the façade of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and listen carefully: behind the sculptures, you can spot many nests and hear their chirping.

House Sparrow - chirping call of an individual then a colony

Audio

1 min.

Did you know?

This species was once extremely abundant in Paris.
It is seen on postcards from around 1900 showing the famous Tuileries bird charmer. Its numbers have declined sharply: a drop of over 70% was seen in fifteen years, with between 2,500 and 4,000 pairs recorded in 2015–2018. Fortunately, populations remain in favourable environments such as the Louvre’s gardens.

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