Abstract
Diet of adult House Sparrows Passer domestics was studied by gravimetric analysis of gut contents during August 1988 to July 1989 at Ludhiana, India. Cereals dominated the food forming 83.6% of total diet. Weed seeds and animal matter constituted only 6.2 and 4.3%, respectively. Shannon-Wiener index and Levins' index of food-niche breadth were calculated to be 0.75 and 3.90, respectively. Relative percentage by weight of different food types was significantly positively correlated with their occurrence in the guts (r=0.67, n=16, P<0.005). Pearl millet was the most abundant food type during August through November, whereas wheat dominanted the diet during January through April and July. Rice and maize were recorded in the guts in three months each. Weed seeds were eaten by sparrows throughout the year except in September, January and February. Egg-shell pieces were recorded throughout the year (except June) but insects were found only in three months (June, August and December). Grit was recorded in all months constituting 4 to 43% of total gut contents (annual average 21%). The diet of sparrows was comparatively more diverse during March-June, August and November than during rest of the year as revealed by fluctuations in two indices of food-niche breadth.
