From the ground up: Attract sparrows without subsidizing House Sparrows

摘要

American sparrows are among my favorite birds. Their understated beauty appeals to my very soul, but their subtle markings and limited color palette intimidate birders. Fortunately, many sparrows are easy to attract. Watching them at leisure helps usappreciate not only how lovely they are but also the features that identify them. Although many can be drawn to feeders, especially open platform feeders, most sparrows prefer eating on the ground, especially near trees, shrubs, or a brush pile, where they can make a quick getaway. Feeders might attract half a dozen sparrows in a yard where a good ground-feeding area would attract dozens. The largest numbers occur during migration, but quite a few spend winter in the vicinity of feeding stations.