Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Tree Sparrow has surged: up 589% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Eurasian Tree Sparrow
The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is a North American member of the Old World Sparrows (Passeridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the generalists.
- Size
- 5.5–7 in long (14–18 cm) — a small, stout songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- A broad range of open and wooded habitats, often near people.
- Diet
- An opportunistic mix of insects, seeds, fruit and scraps.
- Range
- Recorded on 60 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 3 states, most concentrated in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie.
- Family
- Passeridae · Generalists
Notable Eurasian Tree Sparrow Trends
No notable trend signals for Eurasian Tree Sparrow. See the full index history below.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Eurasian Tree Sparrow is projected to fall about 26% by 2029 — from 0.07 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.05 (95% range 0.02–0.08). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±38.6%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 2026 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 2027 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 2028 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 2029 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
Where the Eurasian Tree Sparrow Is Detected
BBS routes recording Eurasian Tree Sparrow, sized by most recent count.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Population Trend by State
| Illinois | +294% | 1969 | 45 |
| Iowa | 14× | 2013 | 8 |
| Missouri | +21% | 2007 | 7 |
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Eastern Tallgrass Prairie | +707% | 1969 | 59 |
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 589% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.