Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site uwmacc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!uwvax!uwmacc!myers 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.