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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Passeridae
  4. ›
  5. Passer
  6. ›
  7. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Photo · Laitche

BirdUp · Species

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus(Linnaeus, 1758)

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Passeridae
Genus
Passer

At a glance

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is a small bird, about 13–15 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
13–15 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does an Eurasian Tree Sparrow look like?

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is a small bird, about 13–15 cm long and weighing 17–29 g.

The tree sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes have similar plumage, and young birds are duller versions of the adult. This sparrow breeds across much of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia and has been introduced elsewhere, including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
13–15 cm
Weight
17–29 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see an Eurasian Tree Sparrow?

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does an Eurasian Tree Sparrow eat?

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow feeds on seeds, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Eurasian Tree Sparrow live in Australia?

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is native to Australia, recorded across 20 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingPAL, OR : subarctic to tropics of Palearctic and Oriental regions in farms, parks, cities: British Isles, south Scandinavia, south-east Murmansk east to south Chukotka, Kamchatka, and Commander Is. (north-west to north-east Russia), in south to Iberian Pen., Gran Canaria (central Canary Is., Macaronesia, west of north Africa), Mediterranean is. through Turkey, north Iran, south-central Pakistan, Tibet, central and east Himalayas through south-east Asia, east Asian is. from Kuril Is., all Japan, Taiwan, all Philippines and Indonesian Arch.; introduced many other places

Non-breedingShort-distance wandering

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Non-breeding
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded