Sparrow House
By Kerry Williams – Communications Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust October 2026
I’ve just moved house, and there are some significant upgrades for me to marvel at. Dishwasher. Stairs. Letterbox. Some novelties may wear off, but I can’t imagine I’ll ever get over the little gang in the garden – this house comes with sparrows.
They wait in nearby bushes en masse, heads cocked, peering into the windows of my living room and my soul, until I give in and top up the mealworms. They descend in a flurry, teasing treats from above and cleaning up on the ground. They perch on the wobbly bird bath, perennially tilted by a clumsy Woodpigeon, to take dainty sips, at odds with their otherwise boisterous behaviour.
In sparrow fashion they lord it over this tiny territory of brick and Buddleia, a group of males, females and juveniles, the size of the males’ black bib denoting their status in the apparent rabble. Despite best efforts, my eyes are dragged from my screen, hands stationary on the keyboard, transfixed.
This may be recognised by those who have a similar squad to window watch. House Sparrows have historically been associated with humans and our homes, the last part of their Latin name, ‘domesticus’, translating to ‘belonging to the house’.
Sparrows have learned that we grow, and drop, delicious snacks. Their varied diet of seeds, berries and insects is supplemented by offers in the crumb department. One once landed on my mate’s pub garden plate and crammed in a stodgy beak full of cauliflower cheese.
Sparrows appear ubiquitous, found in rural and urban areas, farmland, gardens, parks, hedgerows, train stations – you name it. But despite their apparent abundance, they’ve suffered a whopping 70% decline since the 1970s and have been on the UK Conservation Red List since 2002. The usual suspects of overdevelopment, agricultural intensification, climate change, habitat and food loss, historical persecution, and predation by pet cats all feature in their population plummet.
You can help your own charismatic crew. Grow native plants for a buffet of seeds and insects, or provide hanging feeders of mealworms or fat balls from May to October, including seeds and nuts from November to April (cleaning feeders regularly, and no flat feeders, to prevent the spread of disease). Water is a lifeline for wildlife all year round. And if you are lucky enough, as I now find myself, to have even a little outdoor space – keep it wild. Your neighbours will thank you.