Who’s house.....

distinct birds. Not just in appearance but species.

Kamloops birdwatch

With tepid temperatures giving push back to the apparently stubborn remnants of winter, two little voices begin to ring out louder in support. With flocks gathering in greater numbers around newly revealed patches of ground, these two little brown birds are often misidentified.

The House Sparrow and The House Finch are two very

Most new birders tend to get them mixed up simply because they don’t know whose “House” belongs to whom! It does help that finches and sparrows can look alot alike with similar habitat, foraging behaviour and song like calls.

The House Sparrow is our most common bird aside from pigeons, crows and so on. They tend to be the little brown bird you see flying around your WalMart store or scavenging along sidewalks, benches and parking lots. The finches’ presence has started to decline since the 1960s and are not common in all areas of British Columbia.

The easiest way to identify a Sparrow over the Finch, is you will always find a male amongst the flock. Male Sparrows have a thick black streak running from their neck and fanning out across their chest, while male Finches are ombréd in red, from head to their chest. Their bills are a very similar conical shape, with the sparrows being a slight bit narrower, with the male sporting a darker bill. The Finches’ beak is slightly thicker and is lighter in colour for both male and female.

Now despite the cute factor of these little birds, one House does not make a very good guest. House sparrows can be very vicious birds, going after other bird’s nests and throwing their babies out to their death, or simply demolishing the nest site.

So for many, the house Sparrow is just as much a menace as the Starlings, with an attitude twice their size. Next time you notice a commotion in the yard, it could very well be an attempted hostile takeover, of someone trying to make another’s home his House!

Stay Curious Kamloops.

Kamloops Fiddlers

Spring Dance

April 1, 2023 • 7:30 to 10pm

Location: 19A - 1800 Tranquille Road

Cost: $6.00 (members) and $10.00 for (non members) Bring the whole family

Book your Tickets at http://bcfiddlers.com/branches/kamloops/ Contact us at kamloopsoldtimefiddlers@gmail.com or 250-376-2330

LET’S DANCE !

with The Kamloops Social Club

Sunday, April 16 • 7:00-10:30pm

St Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, 360 Nicola St, Kamloops

Tickets: $10 at the door

Come join us for an evening of dancing to country tunes & rock n roll music. Door Prizes, 50/50