House Sparrow

Passer domesticus(Linnaeus, 1758)

Updated 11 June 2026

Native

Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: Passeridae
Genus: Passer

At a glance

The House Sparrow is a small bird, about 14–17 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size: 14–17 cm
Origin: Native
Best seen: Year-round
Commonness: Very common

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a House Sparrow look like?

The House Sparrow is a small bird, about 14–17 cm long and weighing 15–41 g.

The house sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a House Sparrow?

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

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

What sound does a House Sparrow make?

Recordings of the House Sparrow on BirdUp feature its song.

song · Quality B

James Ray · Rosebery, Bayside Council, New South Wales, Australia

0:31

Call

Rosalie Lawrence · Nullawil - Birchip Rd/Calder Hwy, Nullawil VIC 3529, Australia

Call

James Ray · Rosebery NSW 2018, Australia

Call

Carl Ramirez · Penrith NSW 2750, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a House Sparrow eat?

The House Sparrow feeds on seeds and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

5 photos

The BirdUp app