Date: 1/29/26 10:42 am From: Mark A. Corder <buddesystem...> Subject: Re: "House" birds
We are having hordes of juncos, today we had a fox sparrow which we have not seen for several years. Fun to watch the feeding frenzy. Only a couple of House Sparrows, loads of W-C Sparrows and Harris’s. Getting excited about the upcoming GBBC. Mark Corder, southern Johnson County.
From: Birds & Their Habitats in Kansas <KSBIRD-L...> on behalf of Wedge, Philip C. <pwedge...>
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 12:36 PM
To: <KSBIRD-L...> <KSBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: "House" birds
In Lawrence, I am seeing fewer House Sparrows at my feeders, especially since the latest deep freezes. House Finches are abundant. Most notably absent for me are Amer. Goldfinches. I am enjoying regular visits from at least two Red-Breasted Nuthatches.
Phil Wedge
Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: Birds & Their Habitats in Kansas <KSBIRD-L...> On Behalf Of Marla Shoemaker
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 12:03 PM
To: <KSBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: "House" birds
I'm on the west side of Manhattan, and like Dave, I rarely see house sparrows. I've had a few house finches this winter and have also had even fewer female purple finches over the last couple weeks. I'm in a pretty heavily-wooded area.
Marla
Riley County
On Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 11:08 AM VIC & PAM MARTIN <butterfly...>
wrote:
> Dan,
> We have very few house sparrows, but lots of house and gold finches.
> I'm not sure why, but count myself lucky!
> Pam Martin
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Mulhern" <browndog06...>
> To: "KSBIRD-L" <KSBIRD-L...>
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 9:12:23 AM
> Subject: "House" birds
>
> I remember being excited when House Finches began moving into the
> Manhattan area, maybe in the 1980s. Now I didn't have to go visit
> family in Denver to see them. Once they firmly established themselves
> as a breeding population, they seemed to displace House Sparrows at my
> feed/water stations. Sparrows didn't disappear but the numbers went way down.
> Fast forward to maybe early 2000s, and the two species had reached
> more of an equilibrium in my sphere of observation. Sometimes more of
> one, sometimes more of the other, but with House Finches holding
> perhaps a slight numerical advantage on an annual basis.
> Fast forward again to the 2020s, and especially 2026, and the House
> Finch numbers have been overwhelmingly surpassed by House Sparrows.
> This winter I'd estimate at least 85% House Sparrows, and that might
> be an underestimation.
> I'm wondering if there will "always" be this ebb and flow, back and forth?
> Have House Sparrows finally regained their permanent edge? Are House
> Finches more susceptible to avian influenza? Questions without answers yet.
> Anyone else in KS seeing trends like these?
> Dan Mulhern Manhattan
>
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