Sparrows

Sparrows. The very word can make some birders shudder. Sparrows all look so similar – little brown birds scattered on the ground or skulking in low brush. Affectionately (or not) referred to as LBJs (little brown jobs), even the male sparrows can be challenging to identify. The females and babies are even harder.

For many birds, identification is a quick evaluation, often based on general appearance or a single outstanding feature. There isn’t much else that looks like an American robin, a blue jay, or a northern cardinal. With these common (and rather obvious) birds, there is no need to consider all the details. A simple glance is sufficient.

With sparrows, however, details are everything. The pattern of stripes on the head, the facial and throat markings, the presence or absence of streaking, how thick that streaking is, the color of the beak and legs, the length of the tail, a spot or dot on the breast, a hint of yellow by the eye, the richness or drabness of the overall coloring, the overall size. Of course, some sparrows are easier to identify than others, but in some cases, the full range of details must be considered.

There are approximately 180 species of sparrows in the world, broken down into two distinct families, Old World sparrows (just over 20% of total species) and New World sparrows. There are over 40 sparrow species in the US. As to the population of sparrows, only God knows. And He does know! Human estimates vary widely. I found numbers ranging from 800 million to 2 billion to 50 billion.

There is general agreement that the house sparrow by far surpasses all other sparrows combined, comprising perhaps 80-90% of all individual sparrows. This is an Old World sparrow that has spread abundantly: Europe, much of Asia, parts of Africa, half of Australia, and almost all of North and South America. Everyone has seen this bird!

House sparrows are very comfortable in urban areas. They sit on house roofs and porch roofs. They fly up around the eaves and gutters of houses. They hop around on sidewalks. They throng bushes and hedges. They descend by the dozens on backyard feeders. And if you have ever seen a bird flying around inside a big store, most likely it was a house sparrow. (Check the dog food aisle at Wal-Mart.)

After the house sparrow, the next three most common sparrows, existing in similar numbers to each other, are the Eurasian tree sparrow, the chipping sparrow, and the song sparrow.

Sparrows are fairly recognizable; even without knowing the specific species, a lot of people are aware that the small brown birds they see are sparrows. In part, this general recognition is simply because there are so many of them. Sparrows are very widespread, and their diverse habitat extends even to cities. Sparrows are also widely recognized because they are fairly visible. It is not necessary to go skulking through the woods or stalking wetlands to find them. They are very mobile, often on the ground or in low bushes, and often in groups, which increases visibility.

With its rich color and pleasant song, the elusive fox sparrow is perhaps my favorite sparrow. Another beautifully-colored member of the sparrow family is the eastern towhee, which is always encouraging listeners to drink their tea. If I see a sparrow out in the wild, I am likely to say, “Another song sparrow,” as they are quite common. Adorable chipping sparrows are heard more often than seen, belting out their machine-gun fire. By contrast, tiny grasshopper sparrows speak in a whisper. The winter months bring large numbers of white-throated sparrows, (which give their name as Sam Peabody) and dark-eyed juncos.

What does the Bible say about sparrows? The Old Testament has just one reference. “Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, so a curse without cause does not alight” (Proverbs 26:2). The word translated “sparrow” occurs 37 other times in the Old Testament, always translated “bird.” With two different birds mentioned in the verse, it makes sense to translate both as bird species, and the sparrow is a logical choice – both for its commonness and for the action described. The sparrow in the verse flits; it wanders, even aimlessly, moves to and fro, flutters, and takes flight. This hopping about actively is indeed one of the common characteristics of sparrows. The verse suggests that there is a cause for the sparrow’s flitting, which is true, of course. It is constantly seeking food – often grains or seeds scattered on the ground – and so it flits about.

The New Testament has four references (in two passages). The Greek word used refers to a little bird, especially of the sparrow sort, and our Bibles have translated it as “sparrow.”

“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. … So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29,31).

“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).

These verses reveal how common the sparrows were, even in that day. For His illustration, Jesus chose birds that were so common, they were nearly ignored by people. He chose the extreme example to make His point, arguing from the lesser to the greater. These insignificant creatures were overlooked – except by God, who saw and kept track of each one.

The value of the sparrows is also noted. Sparrows were so abundant that they were sold cheaply: two for a cent, or five for two cents. Many believe these common, tiny birds were purchased for sacrifices by those who could not afford anything but the very cheapest option. Maybe those ancient peoples also glanced around and muttered, “More LBJs.”

People see sparrows routinely, but God sees them individually.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.