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Tree Sparrow Passer montanus   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
BTO Codes: TS , TRESP EURING No: 15980
Number in Britain: 68 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: montanus recorded in Britain (of 9 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 14 cm Wingspan: 21 cm Weight: M/F: 24 g    
Scientific name from: L.: passer=a sparrow and L.: montanus=mountaineer (from mons=mountain)
World Distribution: Europe, Asia: INTRODUCED: se Australia, c US
Habitat: Open woodland, farmland, towns, near man
Diet: Mostly seeds (from plant and ground), nestlings fed insects
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 68 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: 1713
UK Biodiversity Action Plan (Lead Partner: RSPB)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Arable Farmland
    And found in: Pasture Farmland, Villages
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 16 to 28 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Garden BirdWatch
Winter Farmland Bird Survey
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 20 x 14 mm Egg Weight: 2.1 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 593
Clutch Size: 5 - 6 eggs 5.05 ± 0.92 (2 - 9) N = 3223
Incubation: 12 - 13 days 12.80 ± 1.19 (11 - 15) N = 3223 by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 15 - 18 days 15.94 ± 1.75 (13 - 18) N = 3534 as: Altricial, naked
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 17 May (23 Apr - 16 Jul)
Number of Broods: 2-3
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 4030
Adult Survival: 0.433 Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 10yr10m   (France: 13yr 1m)
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Biometrics
Ring Size: A (pulli B)
Wing Length Adult: 69.6 ± 2.0 Range 67 - 73 mm, N =5335
Juvenile: 66.3 ± 2.2 63 - 70 mm, N =226
Male: 70.4 ± 1.7 67 - 73 mm, N =169
Female: 68.4 ± 1.9 66 - 72 mm, N =267
Weight Adult: 21.04 ± 1.33 Range 19.00 - 23.30 g , N =4538
Juvenile: 19.99 ± 1.82 17.00 - 22.90 g , N =166
Male: 21.26 ± 1.56 19.00 - 23.20 g , N =149
Female: 21.69 ± 1.75 . 19.10 - 24.90 g , N =195
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Gaelic: Gealbhonn-nan-craobh Welsh: Golfan y Mynydd
Danish: Skovspurv Dutch: Ringmus
Finnish: Pikkuvarpunen French: Moineau friquet
German: Feldsperling Hungarian: Mezei veréb
Icelandic: Trjáspör Irish: Gealbhan Crainn
Italian: Passera mattugia Norwegian: Pilfink
Polish: Mazurek Portuguese: Pardal-montez
Spanish: Gorrión molinero Swedish: Pilfink
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Summers-Smith, J.D. 1988 The sparrows: a study of the genus Passer Poyser, Calton [598.972 SUM]
   Summers-Smith, J.D. 1995 The tree sparrow Self-published, Guisborough [598.972 SUM]
   Summers-Smith, J.D. 1998 Studies of West Palearctic birds: Tree Sparrow British Birds 91:124-138
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.21, Jun 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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