Tree sparrow  (Passer montanus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Range

The tree sparrow has a broad geographical range, and is generally found throughout western, central and southern Europe, east into Asia to the Pacific coast of Russia and south to Indonesia (2). The UK population of the tree sparrow underwent a drastic decline of 95% between 1970 and 1998 (6); the species is now scarce in the uplands, the far north and west, and is almost absent from the south west, Wales and the north west. Some populations persist in the Midlands, southern and eastern England (7).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Habitat

The tree sparrow inhabits open farmland with plenty of hedgerows, trees or small woodland patches (2). It can also be found in large gardens and disused quarries and on the edges of wetlands and open water such as reservoirs and gravel pits. In Scotland flocks may form on stubble and turnip fields in winter (2).

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