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1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions briefly. [1x8=8]
(a) Where do the house sparrows stay?
(b) Where can they be found?
(c) How do the house sparrows communicate?
(d) How are the house sparrows different from the female house sparrows?
(e) How do the house sparrows make their nests?
(f) What do the house sparrows eat?
(g) What information do you get about the song sparrow from the passage?
(h) Why is the population of sparrows decreasing?
Answers
Answer:
a)The house sparrow likes to nest under cover and has a reputation for nesting in our roof spaces, gaining entrance through holes under the eaves, though they also nest in barns and outhouses. Their nests are often made from a variety of materials but always at the top of the list is grass or straw.
b)It is native to Eurasia and North Africa, and was introduced to South Africa, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, India and Central Asia, where its population thrived under a variety of environmental and climatic conditions.
c)Male and female House Sparrows make single cheep notes to indicate submissiveness in flocks, or between pairs as part of courting or copulation. Females make a short chattering sound when chasing off other females, or when her mate approaches.
d)Male House Sparrows are brightly colored birds with gray heads, white cheeks, a black bib, and rufous neck – although in cities you may see some that are dull and grubby. Females are a plain buffy-brown overall with dingy gray-brown underparts. Their backs are noticeably striped with buff, black, and brown.
e)The species mainly nests in holes and crevices of man-made structures and nest-boxes (Summers-Smith 1988). House sparrows use a broad range of materials for nest building, including feathers, grass inflorescences, stalks and roots of plants, barks, threads, strings, and pieces of paper and wool
f)Sparrows enjoy dining at bird feeders. A mix of seeds such as commercial birdseed makes good sparrow food. If you would like to offer a mix of seeds to attract house sparrows, try using sunflower seeds, millet or corn.
g)Sparrows are only about four to six inches in length. Many people appreciate their beautiful song. Sparrows prefer to build their nests in low places-usually on the ground clumps of grass low trees and low bushes. In cities they build their nests in building nooks or holes.
h)The reasons for the decline of the sparrow population are loss of habitat due to rapid urbanisation, diminishing ecological resources for sustenance, high levels of pollution and emissions from microwave towers.