JUKEMA J, K GROENENDIJK & P VAN DER WERF (2010) House Sparrow Passer domesticus feeds House Martin Delichon urbica nestlings. LIMOSA 83 (1): 36-38.
This note describes observations of a female House Sparrow
feeding House Martin nestlings. Feeding by the
House Sparrow was recorded in a village in Friesland on
at least three days in June and July 2009. Except for the
last day when only one of the three nestlings remained
in the nest while the other two had presumably fledged,
both the House Sparrow and the adult House Martins
fed the nestlings. No direct aggression between the
species was observed but the House Sparrow seemed to
be dominant over the martins, sometimes occupying
the nest for prolonged periods. While the parents fed insects
to their young, the House Sparrow usually brought
them bread crumbs. Probably all three nestlings fledged
successfully.
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