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From: myers@uwmacc.UUCP (Latitudinarian Lobster)
Newsgroups: net.rec.birds
Subject: Re: how do you spell House ____?
Message-ID: <1382@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 8-Aug-85 10:07:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.1382
Posted: Thu Aug  8 10:07:03 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 04:35:29 EDT
References: <491@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: Ken Kopp's Fresh Seafood Tank
Lines: 28

> 
> We used to call House Finches, Purple Finches. Although they aren't
> really purple at all. The male is a rusty maroon about the head,
> throat, and wing and tail feathers. Not surprisingly females are
> relatively drab next to the males.

Well, House Finches and Purple Finches are two distinct species which
look quite alike, but have much different ranges.  One of these days
I have got to bring a couple of books in to work so that I can be more
specific!

> 
> When I hear this talk of "House Sparrows" - are you talking
> about English Sparrows?? (Gag me with a Starling!) Maybe a "House
> Sparrow" is a Song Sparrow? (Quite another story).
> 							Geoff

Hm...never heard of an English Sparrow, but I believe that the House
Sparrow (male has a black throat and grey cap, females drab brown with
beige eyestripe), which is actually a Weaver Finch, did come from England,
so maybe that is your local name for a House Sparrow?  Song Sparrows
have a nice, varietous song, whereas House Sparrows let forth constant,
annoying chirps.

Two weeks ago I was dumb enough to sit under a tree at dusk in an area
where House Sparrows had been munching popcorn.  Then I was stubborn
enough not to move, even after being hit thrice by falling feces.
At least they weren't Canadian Geese.