Definition

Noun: 1. A small, hardy brown-and-grey bird native to Europe: The house sparrow is a common perching bird (passerine) known for its association with human habitats. It is characterized by its stout body, short tail, and conical bill. Males typically have a grey crown, chestnut nape, and black bib, while females and juveniles are mostly plain brown and grey.

Usage

• The word "house sparrow" is used as a countable noun. It refers specifically to the species .
• It is often used in ornithological, ecological, and general descriptive contexts to identify this particular bird.

Examples

• Noun:
  • A flock of house sparrows was chirping noisily on the telephone wire.
  • The house sparrow is one of the most widely distributed bird species in the world due to its close association with humans.
  • We placed a bird feeder in the garden, and it was quickly discovered by several house sparrows.

Advanced Usage

• "To attract house sparrows": Refers to creating a garden environment with food, water, or nesting sites suitable for these birds.
  • Planting dense shrubs can help attract house sparrows for nesting.

Variants and Related Words

• Passer domesticus (n): The scientific (Latin) name for the house sparrow.
• Sparrow (n): A more general term for various small birds in the family Passeridae. "House sparrow" is a specific type of sparrow.
• Old World sparrow (n): A term distinguishing sparrows like the house sparrow from unrelated New World birds also called sparrows (e.g., song sparrows).

Synonyms

• English sparrow (n): A common alternative name, especially in North America where it is an introduced species.

Related Phrases

• "Common as a house sparrow": An idiom implying something is very widespread, familiar, and numerous.
  • In many cities, fast-food restaurants are as common as the house sparrow.

Noun

1. small hardy brown-and-grey bird native to Europe