Demoiselle Crane vs House Sparrow
Anthropoides virgo compared with Passer domesticus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Demoiselle Crane | House Sparrow |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anthropoides virgo | Passer domesticus |
| Order | Gruiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Passeridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. | Primarily seeds and grains, supplemented with insects during breeding season. Readily exploits human food scraps … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Demoiselle Crane only
House Sparrow only
Demoiselle Crane
Dry grasslands, savannas, and semi-desert. Nests on the ground in open country, often near water. Winters in agricultural fields.
House Sparrow
Closely associated with human habitation. Found in cities, towns, farms, and any built environment. Rarely found far from people.
Song & Call Comparison
Demoiselle Crane
A high-pitched, bugling 'karr-r-r' in flight. Also gives softer clucking and purring contact calls. Migrating flocks produce a continuous musical babbling audible from great distance.
House Sparrow
Monotonous series of chirping 'cheep' and 'chirrup' notes. Male gives 'chilp' song repeatedly. Flocks produce constant chirping chatter. No melodic song; purely functional calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
House Sparrow
Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to every continent except Antarctica, making it the most widely distributed wild bird.
Conservation Status
Demoiselle Crane
House Sparrow
How to Tell Them Apart
Demoiselle Crane
Pale blue-grey body with a black head, neck, and breast plumes. White ear tufts extend behind the red eyes. Long black tertials drape over the tail.
Short, yellowish-olive bill, shorter than other cranes
House Sparrow
Males have grey crowns, chestnut napes, black bibs, and streaked brown backs. Females and juveniles are plain buffy-brown with a pale eyebrow stripe.
Short, stout, conical bill — black in breeding males, yellowish in non-breeding
About These Birds
Demoiselle Crane
The demoiselle crane is the smallest crane species but undertakes one of the most grueling migrations, crossing the Himalayas at altitudes over 8,000 meters to reach wintering grounds in India. Named for its elegant appearance by Marie Antoinette, it is the second most abundant crane species in the world.
House Sparrow
The house sparrow is perhaps the most successful bird in the world at living alongside humans. Introduced to New York in 1851, it spread across North America within decades. Despite its global abundance, house sparrow populations have declined significantly in parts of western Europe.