What is Sparrow?
{{Taxobox | name = Sparrow | image = Tree Sparrow August 2007 Osaka Japan.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Japanese tree sparrow | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | classis = [[Bird|Aves]] | ordo = [[Passerine|Passeriformes]] | subordo = [[Passeri]] | familia = '''Passeridae'''}} A north American '''sparrow''' is a member of the [[genus]] ''Passer''. They are small [[passerine]] birds which belong to the [[family (biology)|family]] ''Passeridae''. They are also known as old-world sparrows. Sparrows often make their [[nest]]s near [[house]]s or [[building]]s. This means they are one of the easiest birds to see in the wild. The genus has about 30 species around the world. The best known of these is the house sparrow, ''Passer domesticus''. Some authorities place other genera in the sparrow group: ''[[Petronia]]'', the rock sparrows; ''[[Carpospiza]]'', the pale rockfinch; and ''[[Montifringilla]]'', the snowfinches.<ref>Clement, Peter & Colston P.R. 2003. Sparrows and snowfinches. in Perrins, Christopher. ''The Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds''. Firefly Books, 590–591. {{ISBN|1-55297-777-3}}.</ref> == Description == Sparrows are small birds. They are between 11–18 centimeters long. They can weigh between 13–42&nbsp;grams. They are usually [[brown]] and [[gray|grey]]. They have short tails and small, strong [[beak]]s. Most sparrows eat seeds or small [[insect]]s. Sparrows are [[social]] birds and they live in [[flock]]s (groups). == The house sparrow == [[File:Passer domesticus April 2009-1.jpg|thumb|230px|A male house sparrow]] [[File:One sparrow then another.ogv|thumb|230px|Male chirping, female looking around.]] The '''house sparrow''' (''Passer domesticus'') is a [[species]] of sparrow. It lives all over the world. It originally lived only in [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]. However, people travelled to new places and the house sparrow went to those places too. It is now the bird with the widest distribution. This means it lives in the most places. The species has about 50 subspecies. === Distribution === Sparro