House sparrow/Tree sparrow

[2dogs2000]

I have many house sparrows visiting the garden but yesterday morning one stood out from the rest. It's whole head was a real rust/chestnut colour all over. I thought it might have been a tree sparrow but I did not get a good look to see if it had black spots on its cheeks. It does not have a collar. I am therefore thinking it is a variation of a house sparrow. Maybe a youngster? Would one tree sparrow hang around with House sparrows?
These are the only two photos of it.



While trying to get a photo of it I noticed that these three male house sparrows have black bibs which are all different. Why?

[nikolai_avenger]

I just read (on the BBC website) that sparrow's bibs, and the size thereof, are indicative of their social status, or their place in the pecking order, as it were.

Cheers, Nik.

[htcdude]

I've not known a House Sparrow to not have the grey cap (but then I don't know everything ). I see no reason why Tree Sparrows can't mingle with House. And as far as I know young House Sparrows develop the grey and red cap together, not one after the other. I may be wrong though!

Nige

[PeteIsntAPuffin]

It could be a house sparrow - we have one in our garden that has the tiniest cap ever, so I assume it's possible for one to have no cap at all.

Birds, like humans, are rarely identical. There will usually be slight variations in their colour/pattern.

This is a perfect example of it.