Interesting concern. In my head Tree Sparrows are nicer than House Sparrows
(and most other introduced fauna). I studied both for my honours thesis year
1978, so long ago. The aim was to look at the significant differences in
their social behaviour and social cohesion. This on the basis of the
differences in their sexual dimorphism and the very strange aspect for a
sexually monomorphic species, that female Tree Sparrows resemble typical
males of their genus, rather than the usual pattern in other bird groups for
a sexually monomorphic species, of males resembling typical females of their
genus. Both species were common at La Trobe University where I was. I still
look for them on my visits to Melbourne.
Although the ideas of the study were mine, my supervisor Dr Richard Zann
(who died in the Kinglake fire) wisely advised me to study a common species,
not something rare.
Philip
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