Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Breeding distribution 2007–2012

Local resident, increasing after long term decline

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Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2013

ST73 - Confirmed breeding ST73 - Present ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST73 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST74 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST75 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST76 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST77 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST82 ST83 - Confirmed breeding ST83 - Confirmed breeding ST83 - Confirmed breeding ST83 - Possible breeding ST83 - Possible breeding ST83 - Present ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST83 ST84 - Confirmed breeding ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST84 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST85 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST86 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST87 ST88 - Possible breeding ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST88 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST91 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST92 ST93 - Confirmed breeding ST93 - Possible breeding ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST93 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST94 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST95 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST96 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST97 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST98 ST99 - Possible breeding ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 ST99 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU02 SU03 - Confirmed breeding SU03 - Possible breeding SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU03 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU04 SU05 - Present SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU05 SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Confirmed breeding SU06 - Probable breeding SU06 - Possible breeding SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU06 SU07 - Confirmed breeding SU07 - Possible breeding SU07 - Present SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU07 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU08 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU09 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU12 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU13 SU14 - Present SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU14 SU15 - Confirmed breeding SU15 - Probable breeding SU15 - Present SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU15 SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Confirmed breeding SU16 - Possible breeding SU16 - Present SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU16 SU17 - Confirmed breeding SU17 - Confirmed breeding SU17 - Confirmed breeding SU17 - Confirmed breeding SU17 - Confirmed breeding SU17 - Probable breeding SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU17 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU18 SU19 - Confirmed breeding SU19 - Confirmed breeding SU19 - Confirmed breeding SU19 - Confirmed breeding SU19 - Confirmed breeding SU19 - Probable breeding SU19 - Probable breeding SU19 - Present SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU19 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU21 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU22 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU23 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU24 SU25 - Possible breeding SU25 - Possible breeding SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU25 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU26 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU27 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU28 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU29 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU35 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU36 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37 SU37

Map explanation

This map shows the breeding season distribution of the species in Wiltshire as revealed by the shared fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007-2011 (BTO 2013) and for Wiltshire Tetrad Atlas 2007-2012.

Key

Status

Nos tetrads


Present

8

1%


Possible breeding

11

1%


Probable breeding

5

1%


Confirmed breeding

36

4%


Total

60

7%

Records have been centralised in each 10km square for confidentiality

Tree sparrows have a vast range across Eurasia, extending from southern Fenno-Scandia, Ireland and Iberia, east to Sakhalin, Japan and the Greater Sundas. They are missing from the far north and most of the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. They have been introduced in North America, the Philippines, Eastern Indonesia and Australia.

            In Great Britain their numbers have fluctuated in irregular cycles. Between the 1880s and the 1930s the numbers were generally high; they then declined in the 1940s before rising again from 1957, increasing six-fold by 1964-65. They remained at this high level until 1979 when a decline started, taking them back to the 1955 level by 1990. By 2000, it was estimated that the national Tree Sparrow population was just 3% of the level in the 1970s.

            In Wiltshire the county pattern generally reflected the national pattern up to the end of the 20th century. In autumn 1999 WOS set up the Wiltshire Tree Sparrow Recovery Project, providing nest boxes and year-round feeding stations at a number of sites on the Marlborough Downs and in southwest Wiltshire. This has resulted in a steady increase in bird numbers although the number of sites where they have been observed has decreased: Birds of Wiltshire recorded them in 76 tetrads, with breeding confirmed or probable in 50%; WTA2 recorded them in only 60 tetrads but with breeding confirmed or probable in 69%.

References

The following references are used throughout these species accounts, in the abbreviated form given in quotation marks:

“1968-72 Breeding Atlas” – Sharrack, J.T.R. 1976: The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. T. & A. Poyser

“1981-84 Winter Atlas” – Lack, P.C. 1986: The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland. T. & A. Poyser

1988-91 Breeding Atlas” – Gibbons, D.W., Reid, J.B. & Chapman, R.A. 1993: The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1988-91. T. & A. Poyser

Birds of Wiltshire” – Ferguson-Lees, I.J. et al. 2007 : Birds of Wiltshire, published by the tetrad atlas group of the Wiltshire Ornithological Society after mapping fieldwork 1995-2000. Wiltshire Ornithological Society.

“Bird Atlas 2007-2011” – Balmer, D.E., Gillings, S., Caffrey, B.J., Swann, R.L., Downie, I.S. and Fuller, R.J. 2013: Bird Atlas 2007-2011: the Breeding and Wintering Birds of Britain and Ireland

WTA2” – ("Wiltshire Tetrad Atlas 2 ") the present electronic publication, bringing together the Wiltshire data from “Birds of Wiltshire” and “Bird Atlas 2007-11”, together with data from further fieldwork carried out in 2011 and 2012.

"Hobby" - the annual bird report of the Wiltshire Ornithological Society.