My main goal today was to get photos of the House Sparrow flock that hangs out down the road from the boatyard. House Sparrows are one of our most common birds but they are not native to North America. In 1851 twenty House Sparrows were released in New York City. Within a few decades the diminutive House Sparrow had spread across most of the country. In the mid 1800's it was common practice for municipalities to import certain bird species from Europe. In E.A. Zimmerman's "History of the European House Sparrow" he relates the House Sparrows introduction to Cincinnati,
"Between 1872-1874, the Cincinnati Acclimatization Society released 4.000 European songbirds of at least 18 different species, including House Sparrows and Starlings, in order to 'aid people against the encroachment of insects' and to ensure that the 'ennobling influence of the song of birds will be felt by the inhabitants.' Only the Starling and House Sparrow took hold."
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1 comment:
Your pictures are really great, what's the secret?
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