Madison has a very healthy population of house sparrows (
Passer domesticus), which you can identify by the large dark spot below their neck. They have been chirping a bunch and flying in flocks all winter, but this morning was the first time I noticed one of them doing breeding activities. This individual was clearing claiming and possibly readying this crack in the eaves on a front porch. These bulkier sparrows came over from Europe to Brooklyn in 1851 and have successfully spread across North America. Most North American sparrows are smaller and leaner than this non-native cousin. I will look for House Sparrow chicks at this residence in 6-8 weeks.
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