Scientific name of house sparrow Passer domesticus and taxonomy details
House sparrow is a bird which belongs to the Passeridae family and their average length is 16cm. They show sexual dimorphism features and female sparrows are pale brown in colour whereas most of the male sparrows are bright coloured with white, black and brown plumage. Beside the house sparrow, there are 24 more species in the genus Passer.
House sparrows show a wide distribution from the region of Mediterranean to Asia and Europe. Along with that they are also found in other parts of the world like Africa and Australia. The main interesting fact about house sparrows is that these birds mainly prefer to live closer to human settlements, feeding on seeds as well as insects. Due to their small size, they have many predators which vary from large predatory birds like hawks and eagles to cats and other carnivorous mammals.
They are mainly known as omnivorous birds, which mainly feed on seeds and substitute their diet with berries, fruits and small insects. Along with that, some species are also adapted to life in the city area like gulls and pigeons, these plump little birds are known to eat almost anything that they can find.
Division of House Sparrow:
House sparrows are divided into 2 groups, with 6 subspecies in each.
The subspecies are listed below:
Passer Domesticus Domesticus Group
A. European house sparrow (Passer domesticus domesticus)
B. Egyptian house sparrow (Passer domesticus niloticus)
C. Eastern Mediterranean house sparrow (Passer domesticus biblicus)
D. Persian house sparrow (Passer domesticus persicus)
E. Northwest African house sparrow (Passer domesticus tingitanus)
F. Western Mediterranean house sparrow (Passer domesticus balearic ibericus)
Passer Domesticus Indicus Group
A. Indian house sparrow (Passer domesticus indicus)
B. Turkestan house sparrow (Passer domesticus bactrianus)
C. Kashmir house sparrow (Passer domesticus parkini)
D. Passer domesticus rufodorsalis
E. Passer domesticus hyrcanus
F. Passer domesticus hufufae
Classification of Sparrow:
The scientific name of sparrow Passer domesticus.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passeridae
Scientific Name: Passer domesticus
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. To Which Category Do Sparrows Belongs to:
A. Carnivorous
B. Omnivorous
C. Herbivorous
D. Frugivorous
Answer: Omnivorous
2. To Which Phylum Does Sparrow Belongs to:
A. Non-chordata
B. Chordata
C. Colentreta
D. Porifera
Answer - Chordata
One Word Answer:
1. Sparrows belong to which family?
Ans. Family Passeridae.
2. Sparrows belong to which order?
Ans. Order Passeriformes.
FAQs on What Is the Scientific Name of the Sparrow
1. What is the scientific name of sparrow?
The scientific name of the common house sparrow is Passer domesticus. This name follows the binomial nomenclature system used in biology, where:
- Passer is the genus
- domesticus is the species
2. What is the scientific name of Indian sparrow?
The scientific name of the Indian sparrow is Passer domesticus indicus. It is a subspecies of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) found mainly in the Indian subcontinent. The term indicus indicates its geographical distribution in India and nearby regions.
3. What is the scientific classification of sparrow?
The scientific classification of sparrow places it under the kingdom Animalia and species Passer domesticus. Its full taxonomy is:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Passeridae
- Genus: Passer
- Species: Passer domesticus
4. Why is the sparrow called Passer domesticus?
The sparrow is called Passer domesticus because the name reflects its genus and close association with human homes. In Latin:
- Passer means sparrow
- domesticus means belonging to the house
5. What family does the sparrow belong to?
The sparrow belongs to the family Passeridae. Members of this family are small, seed-eating birds with:
- Short, strong conical beaks
- Compact bodies
- Adaptation to urban and rural habitats
6. What is the order of sparrow in biological classification?
The sparrow belongs to the order Passeriformes. This order is the largest group of birds and is commonly called perching birds. Characteristics of Passeriformes include:
- Three toes pointing forward and one backward
- Adaptation for perching
- Well-developed vocal organs
7. What is the difference between genus and species in sparrow?
In sparrow classification, Passer is the genus and domesticus is the species. The difference is:
- Genus: A group of closely related species (e.g., Passer)
- Species: A specific organism that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring (e.g., Passer domesticus)
8. Are all sparrows called Passer domesticus?
No, not all sparrows are called Passer domesticus; this name refers specifically to the house sparrow. There are many other sparrow species, such as:
- Passer montanus (Eurasian tree sparrow)
- Passer hispaniolensis (Spanish sparrow)
9. What type of bird is Passer domesticus?
Passer domesticus is a small, seed-eating perching bird commonly known as the house sparrow. It is characterized by:
- A stout conical beak adapted for seeds
- Brown and grey plumage
- Strong adaptation to urban environments
10. Why is the scientific name important for sparrow?
The scientific name Passer domesticus is important because it provides a universal and standardized identification of the sparrow. Scientific names:
- Avoid confusion caused by local names
- Show evolutionary relationships
- Follow the system of binomial nomenclature introduced by Carl Linnaeus
