House Sparrow

The house sparrow, introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s, is a small, adaptable bird now found throughout the country. Introduced to combat crop pests in the 1860s, house sparrows quickly spread across New Zealand. About the size of a silvereye but chunkier, these familiar birds are a common sight in urban and rural areas alike. Their cheerful chirping and bold behavior make them a well-known, if sometimes controversial, part of New Zealand's avian community.