House sparrow

Commonly seen around houses, on wharves and anywhere people eat outdoors.

Story

As few as 100 were released in 1866–71 to eat insect pests. By the 1880s they were pests themselves, and sparrow clubs were offering bounties on their eggs.

Behaviour

Almost always lives near people, eating grain, seeds and scraps. Very sociable, it roosts in groups of hundreds, but it stays close to home. Even big late-summer flocks rarely wander more than a few kilometres.