Feeding regimens of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in the cultivations of Faisalabad [Pakistan]

The studies on the feeding regimens of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) were carried out on food items consisted of sorghum, millet, maize and harvested wheat, respectively. For the sorghum crop the - feeding regimens were recorded during three hours each in the morning and afternoon sessions. Number of sparrows recorded during the morning was 112 and in the afternoon were 146. The millet crop was sampled during March 2001 and the total number of birds which were recorded during the morning hours were 105 with + SE 3.05 and SD 3.20. Similarly in the afternoon, in all 99 sparrows were recorded leaving the millet field and the plus minus SE and SD being 2.10 and 2.46, respectively. The observations on maize depicted a total of 56 birds during the morning and 87 in the afternoon time periods, on the maize crop. As regards the harvested wheat, number of sparrows visiting the morning hours were 83 with t SE and SD being 2.17 and 2.55, whereas in the afternoon 73 birds along with the plus minus SE and SD being 2.10 and 2.35, respectively. During these studies, further observations were recorded on tire harvested wheat crop in June 2001 where by 100 birds were recorded in the morning and 120 in the afternoon time intervals. Characteristics of the sparrow roost at the University Campus was also studied It is evident that during the early morning hours the burst of activity by the sparrows was noted specially with respect to the short flights and almost uninterrupted call notes. The overall tussle rate varied with respect to the seasons and months. The breeding behaviour which was elicited from late February through the earlier May involved the courtship, allofeeding and allopreening. It was evident that the pair bond office established generally lasted through out the breeding season and it was followed by the allofeeding which were the transfer of food by the male to the female and in turn to the nestling, frequently was recorded. At the end the allopreening incidences were also recorded in which the male happened to be the plain factor and search activities culminated at the fagend of May.