The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is a small, chubby songbird in the Passeridae family. It is characterized by a chestnut crown, white cheeks with a distinct black spot, and a reddish-brown body that resembles a house sparrow. Although native to Eurasia, a small population has been established in Illinois and the St. Louis, Missouri area since 1870. These non-migratory birds live in farmlands, parks, and villages, often foraging in flocks for seeds, grains, and insects.
麻雀是雀科中一種體型小巧、圓潤的鳴禽。其特徵在於頭頂呈栗色，面部潔白並帶有一個醒目的黑色斑點，且全身呈紅褐色，外形酷似家麻雀。雖然它原產於歐亞大陸，但自 1870 年以來，已有一小群族群在美國伊利諾州及密蘇裡州聖路易斯地區定居繁殖。這些不遷徙的鳥類棲息於農田、公園及村落之中，常成群結隊覓食種子、穀物及昆蟲。
Photo Date: 2026.04.23 Location: 花蓮 Hualien, Taiwan
Notes 筆記
- Key Characteristics
- Scientific Classification: Order-Passeriformes; Family-Passeridae; Genus-Passer;
- Common Names: The tree sparrow's common name is given because it prefers tree holes for nesting.
- Appearance: Males and females look alike; no plumage differences between the sexes. Chestnut (reddish-brown) crown, white cheeks with a distinct black spot, and a small black bib on the throat. Rich brown upperparts with dark streaks, pale grayish-white underparts.
- Size: Small; Length-5.1 to 5.9 inches (13 to 15 cm); Wingspan-7.9 to 9.8 inches (20 to 25 cm); Weight-0.6 to 1.0 ounce (18 to 28 grams)
- Habitat and Range
- Geographic Range: Widespread across Europe and Asia. A small, introduced population is found in the Mississippi River valley around St. Louis, Missouri, and parts of Illinois and southeastern Iowa.
- Preferred Environment: Semi-open, mixed environments that offer a combination of scattered trees, thick hedgerows, and open foraging areas. Farmland, parks, villages, and wooded areas.
- Diet and Behavior
- Dietary Habits: Seeds, grains, fruits, berries, and insects, particularly when feeding young. Forages in flocks, especially in fall and winter.
- Nesting Fortress: Uses cavities, nest boxes, or dense bushes, and sometimes reuses old nests.
- Social Rituals: Highly gregarious birds that form tight-knit communal flocks outside the breeding season, often numbering 15 to 20 individuals. Their social rituals involve elaborate courtship displays, fierce territorial and nest-site defenses, communal roosting, and complex acoustic communication.
- 主要特徵
- 科學分類: 雀形目；麻雀科；麻雀屬；
- 俗名/別名: 麻雀之所以得此俗名，是因為它偏好在樹洞築巢。
- 外觀: 雌雄外形相似，羽色無性別差異。頭頂和後頸為栗色；面部白色，並帶有醒目的黑斑；喉部有一小塊黑色斑塊。上體褐色並帶有深色縱紋；下體淡灰白色。
- 大小: 體型小；體長-5.1 至 5.9 英吋（13 至 15 公分）；翼展-7.9 至 9.8 英吋（20 至 25 公分）；體重-0.6 至 1.0 盎司（18 至 28 公克）。
- 棲息地與分佈範圍
- 分佈地域範圍: 廣泛分佈於歐洲和亞洲。在密蘇裡州聖路易斯週邊的密西西比河谷，以及伊利諾伊州和愛荷華州東南部部分地區，有一小型引入種群。
- 適宜環境: 半開放的混合環境，兼具零星樹木、茂密的樹籬以及開闊的覓食區。農田、公園、村莊和林地。
- 飲食與行為
- 食性: 種子、穀物、果實、漿果以及昆蟲——尤以哺育幼鳥期間為甚。成群覓食，尤以秋冬兩季為甚。
- 築巢要塞: 利用樹洞、巢箱或茂密的灌木叢，有時也會重複使用舊巢。
- 社交儀式: 它們是高度群居的鳥類，在繁殖期之外會結成緊密的群體，通常由 15 至 20 隻個體組成。其社會行為包括精巧的求偶展示、對領地及巢址的激烈捍衛、集體棲息，以及複雜的鳴聲交流。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Eurasian tree sparrow
- All About Birds: Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- 維基百科: 麻雀
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