Differences between Egret and Sparrow

Egret and Sparrow are two classes of birds that belong to the Ardeidae and Passeridae families respectively.

Egrets are birds that symbolise purity and strength. They belong to the species of Herons. These birds have white plumage that were used in earlier times for dress and trade. Egrets differ from other species of Herons by their mating displays and the pure white plumes they develop in the breeding season.

Sparrows are one of the most commonly found birds in the world. They are petite birds with a round head and small beak that is shaped like a cone. Their plumage is either brown or grey with white streaks. The feather on their belly is usually white. The birds have a long and stiff tail. An interesting fact about Sparrows is that they have a bone in their tongue. As these are perching birds, they have clawed feet with three forward-pointing and one backward-pointing toe. Sparrows are songbirds that make chirping sounds. There are over 140 species of these birds in the world. They are generally classified as Old World species and New World species. Sparrows are mentioned in mythology and the Bible. Their earliest fossils, found in caves in Israel, are dated back to over 100,000 years.

Where are Egret and Sparrow found?

Egrets live close to wetlands, be it fresh or salt. You can find them near seas, rivers, marshes, ponds, and thick forests. They were originally found in Europe, Asia, and Africa but have later spread across the world. As they cannot survive colder weather, they are not distributed in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Sparrows prefer thick forests, open fields, agricultural farms, and fringes of forests. However, a large population of Sparrows also live in the parks, gardens, and buildings of cities. The Old World species of Sparrows originally belong to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The New World species have been introduced in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

What do Egret and Sparrow eat?

Egrets are carnivores that source their feeds generally from water systems. So, their diet mostly includes fish, water insects, frogs, snakes, and crustaceans. However, Egrets sometimes also hunt on land and eat insects, grasshoppers, and rodents.

Sparrows are omnivores. They largely eat seeds and grains like cereals, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. They also eat insects and worms. Occasionally the birds eat human food refuse.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Egret and Sparrow

• Egret do eat Fish while Sparrow may not eat Fish.
• Both Egret and Sparrow eat Frogs.
• Both Egret and Sparrow eat Lizards.
• Egret do eat Snakes while Sparrow may not eat Snakes.
• Egret do eat Turtles while Sparrow may not eat Turtles.
• Egret do eat Squirrels while Sparrow may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Egret while Sparrow do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Egret while Sparrow do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Egret do eat Mice while Sparrow may not eat Mice.

Size of Egret and Sparrow?

When it comes to size, Egrets are smaller than Herons. They are a little less than three feet tall and have wings that measure 1.3-1.7 metres.. The size of Sparrows depends on the species. The average size is however 0.5-0.6 feet in length. Chestnut Sparrow is the smallest Sparrow with a length of 0.4 feet, while the Parrot-billed Sparrow is the largest with a length of 0.59 feet.

An adult Egret usually weighs 1.1-3.3 pounds. while The average weight of the Sparrow is 0.84 ounce. The weight of the Chestnut Sparrow is 0.5 ounce and that of the Parrot-billed Sparrow is 1.5 ounce.

Where do Egret and Sparrow nest?

Egrets generally build large and messy nests in their colonies that even consist of birds of other species. The nests are usually constructed on shrubs or lowly trees, typically 10-40 feet from the ground. It is mostly the male egret that establishes the nesting area by creating a nest platform. Both the male and female egrets incubate the eggs for a period of around 24 days.

Sparrows build their nests in holes and cavities of small trees, in shrubs, and buildings. They prefer their nests to be closer to the ground. The nests generally look spherical and measure eight to 10 inches in diameter. The female and male partners construct the nest using straw, twigs, roots, leaves, grass, paper, thread, wool, and feather. The eggs are completely white, or bluish white, or greenish white with brown spots. Both partners incubate the eggs. The eggs hatch in 10-14 days. The young ones that are fed by both parents fledge in about two weeks.

How long do Egret and Sparrow live?

Lifespan of an Egret is up to 15 years in the wild. The younger ones could face high mortality due to climate, migration, predators, and siblicide. The oldest Great Egret lived for almost 23 years in the state of Ohio.

Sparrows are known to live for four to seven years. Some species can even live up to 20 years. The House Sparrows live until 23 years in captivity.

Are Egret or Sparrow migratory birds?

Egrets become residents in warmer locations. However, in regions where they cannot withstand the cold, they tend to migrate after the breeding season. Migration usually happens from Europe to Africa and south Asia and from northern parts of the USA to central and southern America.

Not all Sparrows are migratory. The ones from Canada, North America, northern parts of Europe, and east Asia migrate during winters. The House Sparrows typically do not migrate as they do not encounter harsh weather or scarcity of food in any time of the year. Among the migratory species, American Tree Sparrow migrates from North America and Canada to the USA, while the Savannah Sparrow travels from Alaska to the USA. In northern and central Europe, migration takes place among Eurasian Tree Sparrow that relocates to Africa. The Russet Sparrow is a species from Himalayas that spends its time in south-east Asia during winters.

Do Egret and Sparrow fly in flocks?

A group of Egrets is known by different names, such as colony, siege, skewer, wedge, and congregation. Egrets are sociable and hunt in flocks. But they can also remain isolated. They generally gather during sunsets and roost in colonies.

A group of Sparrows is called a flock. The birds are highly sociable. They live in colonies of about 20 birds, which may even extend to about a 100. The birds are always found in groups, foraging, flying, and roosting together. Their nests are also built next to each other during the breeding season. Sparrows are also intelligent birds. They are known for cooperation and teamwork. The birds work together to find food, build nests, preen feathers, and remove lice and parasites from their skin. They chirp incessantly to let their group know about where they are. As Sparrows are tiny birds, living in large flocks also helps in intimidating the predator and also mobbing the predator if required.

Are Egret or Sparrow protected?

Governments across the world have taken measures to protect Egrets under wildlife conservation and migratory bird laws. Egrets are protected in various countries like the USA, UK, China, Taiwan, China, Russia, India, and France.

Not all species of Sparrows are protected. For example, the House Sparrow is not protected in the USA. It has partial protection in the UK, where shooting it with a licence is allowed. The species is fully protected in Canada.

Are Egret or Sparrow endangered?

The population of Egrets dwindled to near extinction in the 19th century owing to devious hunting of the birds for their plumes. However, introduction of protection and conservation laws have helped in resurgence of their population. Egrets can now be commonly found in wetlands and coasts across the world. They are not an endangered species.

Sparrows are not endangered but their numbers are on a steep decline. Factors affecting the population of Sparrows are loss of habitat, scarcity of food, urbanization, radiation from mobile towers, pollution, use of pesticides in farmlands, and hunting.

Can Egret and Sparrow fly?

Egrets start flying when they are six to seven weeks old. They are dynamic flyers with an ability to cover 25 miles in an hour. They tuck their neck in and hold their legs freely in flight. They are capable of flying long distances during migration.

Sparrows fly by taking off directly, flapping their wings, and folding their legs. Their average flying speed is 24-31 miles an hour. The altitude range they can fly at varies for different species. While most of them normally fly at around 500 feet, some fly at around 2,000 feet. During migration they fly 5,000-20,000 feet high and cover 15-600 miles in a day. Sparrows fly in flocks because they are tiny birds and flying in groups supports energy conservation. It will also help them spot and threaten predators. On the ground, Sparrows are commonly seen hopping. They jump forward and backward for scraping mud, leaves, or grass with their toes and search for food underneath.

Can Egret and Sparrow swim?

Egrets are generally wading birds. They rarely swim to catch their preys. Further, they have non-webbed feet that makes swimming difficult for them.

Sparrows are not regular swimmers. However, they can swim fast to escape from danger. Some species like the House Sparrow can even swim under water. Sparrows regularly bathe in water, sometimes even in a puddle. They wiggle in water to loosen up the dirt on their feathers and to control body temperature.

Mating patterns among Egret and Sparrow

Egrets acquire heightened beauty during the breeding season – the reason for which bird watchers yearn to catch a glimpse of them during this time. The birds start mating when they are two or three years old. Each breeding season of the year, the male egret selects a nesting area where it builds a nest platform. It then displays its special long white plumes to find a mate for courtship. Egrets generally breed in their colonies and seldom in solitary pairs.

Depending on the species, Sparrows start mating when they are five to nine months old. The birds mate in small colonies. During courtship, the male hops around the female with inflated chest, raised tail, and slouched wings. He also chirps and sings for her. The partners copulate until the female can lay eggs. They produce nearly four broods in a breeding season. The female lays one to eight eggs in a clutch. Both partners incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

When is the mating season for Egret and Sparrow ?

The mating season for Egrets is usually October-December in the southern hemisphere and March-May in the northern hemisphere. They breed only once a year.

The mating season for sparrows depends on geography. It can range from March to August. The courtship can begin as early as January.

Do Egret and Sparrow mate for life?

Egrets are monogamous during each breeding season. However, they may not stay with the same partner every year. They are known to have multiple partners in their lifetime.

Sparrows mate for life. They remain monogamous throughout their life and return to the same nesting territory every year. When one of the partners is lost or dies, the surviving partner finds another mate within a few days.

How do Egret and Sparrow sleep?

Egrets sleep at night while standing on one foot in water to sense vibrations from predators. They keep their heads retracted under a wing. They generally roost in flocks to stay safe from attacks.

Sparrows roost in large groups while perching on trees. They may even shelter inside tree holes and cavities. They draw together to stay warm on cold nights. Their usual sleeping posture is head tucked inside plumped up feathers.

Can Egret and Sparrow be eaten?

Egrets used to be eaten in earlier times in some parts of Africa. However, they no longer can be hunted for their meat. It is illegal and will invite hefty fines.

Sparrows are widely consumed by people. They are a delicacy in French, Italian, Japanese, and German cuisines. As the law in most countries provide protection only to some species of Sparrows, obtaining the bird meat for food is not restricted.

Can you hunt Egret or Sparrow?

Egrets were hunted ruthlessly until late 19th century for their plumes. This led to their near extinction. Nevertheless, new anti-hunting, conservation, and migratory laws adopted across the world have saved the species. Egrets are widespread and a common sight now.

Sparrows are hunted for their meat. They are considered a pest by farmers, who kill them to save their crops. Hunting Sparrows is allowed in some countries, while killing them with a licence is permitted in few others.

Can you feed Egret or Sparrow?

Feeding wild animals and birds in public places is not permitted in places like USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, Egrets can be fed with fish, eggs, insects, earthworms, and meat.

Sparrows can be fed with a mix of seeds, corn, millets, fruits, and insects.