( 7) In the United States, House Sparrows have contributed much to science because they are so easy to breed, train, and study. Without sparrows, the insects grew out of control very quickly. The sparrows had been eating the grains, but they had also been eating the locusts and other insect pests which threatened the fields. The culling of these birds, however, resulted in years of terrible deadly famine. In the mid twentieth century, Mao Zedong declared war on sparrows in China because of their status as agricultural pests who feasted on grains. Despite this, these birds play extremely important roles in human civilization. In the United States, the House Sparrow is a very successful invasive species which is considered a pest in some contexts. Sparrows will gregariously attack invaders who come too close to the sparrow’s nest site. Although these birds are small, they can be quite brave and aggressive when it comes to defending their turf. Sparrows are often seen in flocks of many birds, which are thought to operate with a “pecking order” similar to the hierarchical social constructs of chickens. So, sparrows may represent hard work, a positive attitude, endurance, or perseverance. Sparrows are industrious, hearty, adaptable, and evidently capable of carving out a living almost anywhere on this planet. Both categories of sparrow, however, share a powerful conical bill built for cracking seed casings.
New World sparrows are closely related to buntings and finches. Old World sparrows, like the House Sparrow, are more often thought of as “true sparrows” when compared with New World sparrows such as the White-crowned Sparrow. Sparrows are usually members of one of two categories. With “house” in their common name and “ domesticus” in their Latin name, it is no wonder that these little birds are connected with domesticity, warmth, familiarity, and gentleness. House Sparrows are very closely associated with the home and family. Whether you are looking to learn more about the little brown birds crowding around your feeders, or whether you feel a special connection to the sparrow, read on to learn more about the myths, symbols, and stories attached to this cheerful little bird. Sacred to the goddess Aphrodite of the Greek pantheon, to Vishnu in Hindu mythology, and both Branwen and Rhiannon in Welsh mythology, the sparrow’s common nature has earned it a place in cultural traditions around the world. Although our familiarity with these birds often desensitizes us to their beauty, these common birds are no less fascinating and beautiful. The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is, in fact, one of the most common and widespread animals on this planet. Sparrows are ubiquitous songbirds that twitter about in a variety of habitats spanning almost the entire globe.
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