House SparrowsPicture of the week - HOSP on Holiday

Picture of the week – HOSP on Holiday

HOSP on Holiday. Photo by Bet Zimmerman

Photos by Bet Zimmerman. Download full resolution version.

HOSP entering nest
A female House Sparrow enters the nest on the letter “E” while the male perches next to her.
HOSP in sign. Bet Zimmerman photo
HOSP nesting in the letters d, P, R and E and using other letters as perches.

While at a wedding in Austin TX, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. Four pairs of House Sparrows (HOSP) were nesting in the letters of the sign by the outdoor pool. Notice three males in close proximity to each other. Even though they are extremely aggressive towards other species, HOSP will gladly nest in colonies. See HOSP nesting biology.

Unfortunately, many commercial establishments allow House Sparrows (HOSP) to breed, roost and feed at their facilities. See more examples on what I dubbed the “Wall of Shame.”HOSP nesting causes a number of potential problems.

Unless preventive measures are taken, nests must be removed repeatedly. In this case, covering the cavities with plexiglas, or flatter lettering would prevent nesting.

Perhaps a letter (see template) would encourage these organizations to take steps to control HOSP proliferation.

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Previous Pictures of the Week: © Original photographs are copyrighted, and may not be used without the permission of the photographer. Please honor their copyright protection. If you would like to use a photo for educational purposes, you can contact me.


An environmental ethic that considers the big picture compels killing some animals to protect native species and habitat
– Anonymous naturalist


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