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What is this bird?

  • 16-05-2010 4:02pm
    #1
    BFassassin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,149 ✭✭✭BFassassin


    Two of these birds seem to have taken over a swallow/ house martin nest.
    Im not sure what they are though. Im thinking some sort of finch.
    Has anyone ever heard of them taking over a nest like this though?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    BFassassin wrote: »
    Two of these birds seem to have taken over a swallow/ house martin nest.
    Im not sure what they are though. Im thinking some sort of finch.
    Has anyone ever heard of them taking over a nest like this though?


    Both photos show male House Sparrows, and yes they regularly nest in old nests of other species. They are probably a more threatened species - certainly in a more rapid decline than House Martins or Swallows, and they have their own charm.

    LostCovey


  • #3
    BFassassin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,149 ✭✭✭BFassassin


    Cheers LostCovey.
    Never seen them around the garden before.
    They seem to have bullied out the other birds because it is a newly built nest that they build every year.


  • #4
    ThunderCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭ThunderCat


    LostCovey wrote: »
    They are probably a more threatened species - certainly in a more rapid decline than House Martins or Swallows

    I wasnt aware of this. I get loads of them out my back garden every day. They all live in a large bush across the road from me and come to the garden as I always have seed out for the birds and I have a bird bath too that they drink from and bath in. Always thought that because there were so many of them in my garden, they were commonplace everywhere else too. Must start putting out a bit extra for them. :)


  • #5
    Orlando Howling Aeroplane
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Orlando Howling Aeroplane


    Across Ireland and the UK House Sparrow numbers are declining due to changes in farming practices and the way we build our houses. Certainly some gardens are experiencing an increase in numbers but overall the decline is sharp. At one time we would regularly count flocks of 100+ but now find 20 or so around a house.


  • #6
    tyler71
    Registered Users Posts: 214 ✭✭tyler71


    We had sparrows using a housemartins nest on our house for the past few months but just today it's been reoccupied by returning housemartins, maybe the sparrows were just using it during the cold spell. I didn't realise sparrows numbers were falling either, we regularly have ten or twelve out at our feeders all year round, so I'm glad we're doing our bit.


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