Family bath

Photos: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
House sparrows
 
House sparrow       Koduvarblane       Passer domesticus
 
The drought that lasted from summer until autumn is forgotten. There is water in the wells, ditches are flowing … A few days of rain and the vessels left in the garden are filled with water. So when to bathe if not now?
 
House sparrows are basically sedentary birds and, as companions with humans, find their food close to them. Where domestic animals are still kept we see house sparrows near cattle barns; there they stay for winter in small groups. They differ from other passerines in that they have no white feathers at the outer edges of the tail.
 
In the photo a house sparrow pair cares for their personal hygiene. The male has a black chin patch, which the female lacks altogether, so take a look and all is clear. Let us look at other differences too: the top of the male’s head is grey and a brown curved streak begins from the eye. The female sparrow’s head is brownish and the brown of the eyebrow streak is paler. The plumage of male birds is brighter, the back chestnut brown with yellow and black. The back plumage of female birds: grey, black and beige. On the brownish wings both have a white band and black lengthwise streaks, the chest sparrow grey. During the eclipse or winter plumage period (October – end of February) the colour of the male’s beak is similar to the beak of the female, whose beak colour is the same throughout the year, or yellowish dark brown (the male’s beak is black-coloured from spring onwards). Young birds have a yellowish beak tip. Who has the time can study the youngsters.
 
The winter number is estimated at up to a quarter million birds.
 
House sparrow observations:  LINK
 
Autumn morning bath. House sparrows


 

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