Densities of House Sparrows in Different Urban Habitats in a Small Town in NE England

Abstract

A mapping technique was used to census House Sparrows Passer domesticus in different urban environments, defined by housing density, housing age and proportion of ‘green’ area, in a small town in NE England. The study was conducted during the breeding season, with the aim of identifying the parameters that influence breeding density. Maximum House Sparrow density occurred in areas with high housing density, including the town centre, but a decline in numbers over the last 10 years was apparent in suburban areas with intermediate housing density. An area with low housing density was abandoned by House Sparrows in 1980, and a new housing estate completed in 2002 has not been colonized.