Barn Swallow vs House Sparrow

Hirundo rustica 对比 Passer domesticus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 Barn Swallow House Sparrow
学名 Hirundo rustica Passer domesticus
Passeriformes Passeriformes
Hirundinidae Passeridae
保护状况 Least Concern Least Concern
体长 19.0 cm (7.5 in) 16.0 cm (6.3 in)
翼展 33.0 cm (13.0 in) 25.0 cm (9.8 in)
体重 19.0 g (0.67 oz) 30.0 g (1.06 oz)
食性 Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by … Primarily seeds and grains, supplemented with insects during breeding season. Readily exploits human food scraps …
产卵数 2-7 1-8
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Barn Swallow 19.0 cm
House Sparrow 16.0 cm
翼展
Barn Swallow 33.0 cm
House Sparrow 25.0 cm
体重
Barn Swallow 19.0 g
House Sparrow 30.0 g
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Habitat Comparison

共同栖息地

Barn Swallow only

House Sparrow only

Barn Swallow

Open farmland, meadows, and areas near water. Nests almost exclusively in human-made structures such as barns, bridges, and eaves.

House Sparrow

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

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Song & Call Comparison

Barn Swallow

鸣唱

A rapid, twittering song: a long stream of 'vit-vit-vit' and rolling chirps. Also gives a sharp 'vit' flight call. Song can last many minutes without pause. Musical and liquid.

House Sparrow

鸣唱

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

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Geographic Range & Migration

Barn Swallow

Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.

House Sparrow

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

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保护状况

Least Concern

Barn Swallow

Least Concern

House Sparrow

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How to Tell Them Apart

Barn Swallow

羽毛

Metallic blue-black upperparts, rufous forehead and throat, and pale buff to rufous underparts. Deeply forked tail with elongated outer streamers.

Short, wide, flat black bill adapted for catching insects in flight

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.

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

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About These Birds

Barn Swallow

The barn swallow is the most widespread swallow species in the world and has one of the longest migrations of any passerine. Its arrival signals spring across the Northern Hemisphere, inspiring cultural references from ancient Greece to modern poetry. Barn swallows have become almost entirely dependent on human structures for nesting.

House Sparrow

家麻雀是全球分布最广的鸟类之一,与人类关系极为密切。雄鸟头顶灰色,喉部黑色,翅具栗色。广泛分布于城市、农村和郊区,以谷物、种子和昆虫为食。因人类扩张而随之传播至世界各地,但近年来在某些地区种群下降明显。

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