The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon word spearwa, which probably was a general term for all small birds. Sparrows are found throughout most of the world. About 50 species live in North and South America. Many are noted for their musical songs.
Sparrows have large feet that are well-adapted for scratching for seeds, their chief food.
They feed insects to their young. American sparrows build nests on the ground, in clumps of grass, in bushes, or in low trees, but seldom far from the ground. A sparrow's nest is a compact, well-built, open structure made of grasses, plant fibers, and sometimes small twigs. The female lays four or five white eggs marked with reddish-brown. The eggs hatch in 11 to 14 days, and the young leave the nest 8 to 10 days later.