House sparrow against a white background - Keep house sparrows away from your home with Kona Coast Pest Control in Kailua Kona

House Sparrow

Actual Size: 5 to 6”

Characteristics: Brown stripes; black throat and chest patch; light cheeks

Habitat: Typically builds nests on building gutters, lamp poles, ledges, and more.

Habits:

  • The most common songbird pest.
  • Can carry diseases that infect humans, pets, and livestock. 
  • Can be aggressive when defending their nests, often pushing out other desirable songbird species.


House Sparrows in Kailua Kona

Sparrows, an invasive species widely spread in the United States, rank among the world’s most abundant songbird pests. Despite their small size, house sparrows pose significant issues for homeowners. Sparrows are tough, adaptable, and aggressive. Their droppings can carry harmful pathogens. Often found in urban and rural settings, they are known to displace native birds from their nests. They rely heavily on humans for food and places to build their messy nests. House sparrows are thought to carry and transmit more than 25 diseases to humans, pets, and livestock, making them a significant health concern.

House Sparrow Habitat

House sparrows prefer to build their nests in manmade structures as they offer many spade areas with abundant food options. They create nests made from twigs, grass, paper, and string in gutters, vents, lamp poles, and other elevated spots. These nests can become breeding grounds for bugs and parasites, giving them easy access into buildings. A sparrow nest can pose a fire hazard when built in certain areas.

House Sparrow Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Sparrows like to stuff nesting materials into tight gaps, favoring spaces around 1 to 3 inches wide like structural frameworks, letters of signs, corrugated overhangs, and even dryer vents. In residential areas, clogged gutters and drainage pipes due to sparrow nests can lead to significant water damage. Nests built in chimneys and ventilation systems may impede airflow and facilitate the spread of diseases through the ventilation system. Sparrows’ aggressive nature can displace other desirable songbird species, like bluebirds, at feeders and birdbaths. If you are dealing with sparrow problems in your Kailua Kona property, always contact a bird removal specialist.