House Sparrow vs Japanese White-eye

Passer domesticus 比較対象 Zosterops japonicus

Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 House Sparrow Japanese White-eye
学名 Passer domesticus Zosterops japonicus
Passeriformes Passeriformes
Passeridae Zosteropidae
保全状況 Least Concern Least Concern
体長 16.0 cm (6.3 in) 11.5 cm (4.5 in)
翼開長 25.0 cm (9.8 in) 17.0 cm (6.7 in)
体重 30.0 g (1.06 oz) 11.0 g (0.39 oz)
食性 Primarily seeds and grains, supplemented with insects during breeding season. Readily exploits human food scraps … Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator …
一腹卵数 1-8 2-6
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
House Sparrow 16.0 cm
Japanese White-eye 11.5 cm
翼開長
House Sparrow 25.0 cm
Japanese White-eye 17.0 cm
体重
House Sparrow 30.0 g
Japanese White-eye 11.0 g

Habitat Comparison

共通生息地

House Sparrow only

None

Japanese White-eye only

None

House Sparrow

Closely associated with human habitation. Found in cities, towns, farms, and any built environment. Rarely found far from people.

Japanese White-eye

Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.

Song & Call Comparison

House Sparrow

さえずり

Monotonous series of chirping 'cheep' and 'chirrup' notes. Male gives 'chilp' song repeatedly. Flocks produce constant chirping chatter. No melodic song; purely functional calls.

Japanese White-eye

さえずり

Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.

Geographic Range & Migration

House Sparrow

Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to every continent except Antarctica, making it the most widely distributed wild bird.

Japanese White-eye

East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.

保全状況

Least Concern

House Sparrow

Least Concern

Japanese White-eye

How to Tell Them Apart

House Sparrow

羽毛

Males have grey crowns, chestnut napes, black bibs, and streaked brown backs. Females and juveniles are plain buffy-brown with a pale eyebrow stripe.

くちばし

Short, stout, conical bill — black in breeding males, yellowish in non-breeding

Japanese White-eye

羽毛

Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.

くちばし

Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill

About These Birds

House Sparrow

スズメは人間の居住地に最も密接に関連する鳥の一つで、世界で最も広く分布する鳥種の一つ。原産地はヨーロッパ・アジアだが、人間とともに世界中に持ち込まれた。

Japanese White-eye

The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.

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