AnimalsThe house sparrow has lived close to people for thousands of years and nests in holes in buildings. Males have a grey cap and a black bib. Females are plain brown. Its numbers have fallen in many cities.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Passer domesticus
- Group
- Birds
- Diet
- Omnivore (eats plants and animals)
- Lives in
- Almost worldwide
- Habitat
- Towns, villages and farms
- A young one is called
- chick
- A group is called
- flock or host
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
How it is classified
Scientists sort living things into groups within groups. Reading down, each step is a smaller group, ending with the species itself.
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passeridae
- Genus Passer
- Species Passer domesticus
More distant relatives in the order Passeriformes: common myna, house crow.
Classification follows the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Other reference works arrange some groups differently. How classification works.
Is it in danger?
The house sparrow is listed as Least Concern. The species is widespread or numerous enough that it is not considered at risk of extinction at present.
This is the IUCN Red List category as recorded in Wikidata on 11 November 2026. The IUCN Red List itself is the authority and may carry a newer assessment. What the categories mean.