Passer is a genus of Old World sparrows. These sparrows are plump little brown or greyish birds often with black, yellow or white markings. Typically 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, they have short tails and stubby conical beaks. They are gregarious and will form substantial flocks, and some, though not the House Sparrow, have pleasant songs.
Most of its members are found naturally in open habitats in the warmer climates of Africa and southern Eurasia. According to a molecular study published in 2001, the genus originated in Africa and Cape Sparrow is the most basal lineage. Several species have adapted to human habitation, and this has enabled the House Sparrow in particular, in close association with humans, to extend its Eurasian range well beyond what was probably its original home in the Middle East. Apart from this natural colonisation, the House Sparrow has been introduced to many parts of the world outside its natural range, including the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and Australia. The Eurasian Tree Sparrow has also been artificially introduced on a smaller scale, with populations in Australia and locally in Missouri and Illinois in the United States.
Passer sparrows build an untidy nest, which, depending on species and nest site availability, may be in a bush or tree, a natural hole in a tree, in a building or in thatch, or in the fabric of the nest of species such as the White Stork. The clutch of up to eight eggs is incubated by both parents typically for 12–14 days, with another 14–24 more days to fledging.
Passer is a genus of Old World sparrows. These sparrows are plump little brown or greyish birds often with black, yellow or white markings. Typically 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, they have short tails and stubby conical beaks. They are gregarious and will form substantial flocks, and some, though not the House Sparrow, have pleasant songs.
Most of its members are found naturally in open habitats in the warmer climates of Africa and southern Eurasia. According to a molecular study published in 2001, the genus originated in Africa and Cape Sparrow is the most basal lineage. Several species have adapted to human habitation, and this has enabled the House Sparrow in particular, in close association with humans, to extend its Eurasian range well beyond what was probably its original home in the Middle East. Apart from this natural colonisation, the House Sparrow has been introduced to many parts of the world outside its natural range, including the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and Australia. The Eurasian Tree Sparrow has also been artificially introduced on a smaller scale, with populations in Australia and locally in Missouri and Illinois in the United States.
Passer sparrows build an untidy nest, which, depending on species and nest site availability, may be in a bush or tree, a natural hole in a tree, in a building or in thatch, or in the fabric of the nest of species such as the White Stork. The clutch of up to eight eggs is incubated by both parents typically for 12–14 days, with another 14–24 more days to fledging.