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Migration Stories: The House Sparrow
These common birds exemplify resilience.
Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, remembers seeing House Sparrows all over Chicago as a kid. These little brown birds are native to Eurasia and North Africa, but were forced to adapt to many places around the world where they were introduced. Though many people consider House Sparrows to be urban pests, Deja admires them and draws parallels between their natural history and the story of her own ancestors.
This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating miraculous shades of brown by highlighting the beauty and importance of sparrows while also drawing parallels with the struggles and triumphs of Black birders. Learn more about how to participate in this week’s events here.
BirdNote®
Migration Stories: The House Sparrow
Written by Deja Perkins
This is BirdNote. I’m Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist.
Growing up in Chicago, I remember seeing a lot of House Sparrows: in my neighborhood, downtown, and even inside the McDonald’s at Navy Pier. While my classmates shrieked in terror at the little birds flying around the restaurant looking for food, I recall looking at them in fascination, wondering how they got here.
[House Sparrow sounds, ML211312851]
The House Sparrow is native to Eurasia and North Africa, however, these birds were forced to adapt to many places around the world.
They were brought to the U.S. by way of Brooklyn in 1851 to control pesky caterpillars. House Sparrows now live in cities on nearly every continent where they get hate for being “urban pests”.
[House Sparrow sounds, ML211312851]
But I admire these birds and can’t help but see parallels between House Sparrows and the story of my own ancestors. Taken from their home range and spread throughout the world for a purpose. Forced to adapt, and now they thrive. A true story of resilience.
This week is Black Birders Week. To learn how to participate, follow the hashtag Black Birders Week on social media and visit BirdNote dot org. I’m Deja Perkins.
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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. House Sparrow ML211312851 recorded by Jay McGowan.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote May 2025
Narrator: Deja Perkins
ID# HOSP-07-2025-05-30 HOSP-07
Deja Perkins
Writer NarratorSights & Sounds
