House Sparrows: Rapid Evolution of Races in North America

1964/05/01 by Richard F. Johnston, Robert K. Selander · 6 citations
Environmental Science · #Avian ecology and behavior #Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Sparrow #Passer #Conformity #Geographic variation #Geography #Zoology #Variation (astronomy) #Biology #Ecology #Demography #Population

paper · doi:10.1126/science.144.3618.548

openalex publication_date 1964/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

Conspicuous adaptive differentiation in color and size has occurred in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in North America and the Hawaiian Islands since its introduction in the middle of the 19th century. Patterns of geographic variation in North America parallel those shown by native polytypic species, in conformity with Gloger's and Bergmann's ecogeographic rules. Racial differentiation of house sparrow populations may require no more than 50 years.

Cited by

• House Sparrows: Evolution of Populations from the Great Plains and Colorado Rockies
• A taste for novelty in invading house sparrows, Passer domesticus
• Evolution in the House Sparrow. I. Intrapopulation Variation in North America
• Single origin of human commensalism in the house sparrow
• Differentiation of Populations
• House sparrow [wikipedia]