The House Sparrow is a small songbird found across the globe, present on all continents except for Antarctica. 

This species has been introduced in all locations outside of its native range in Europe and is known for its detrimental impacts on the ecosystems it has been introduced to, such as their impact on competing nesting areas according to the Cornell Chronicle. 

The house sparrow is often the villain in stories regarding the decline of native birds, according to Birds of the World. In the U.S., a famous story recounts the species being introduced by a lover of Shakespeare, who sought to bring all birds mentioned in his plays to Central Park in New York. However, many sources, such as JSTOR Daily, have debunked this as an urban legend.

The actual start of the species’ spread across the U.S. likely stemmed from the bird being brought to Brooklyn to combat a moth outbreak, according to Birds of the World. Because of this introduction, the species has covered the continent and can now easily be found eating anything it can find, from bugs to seeds and french fries, right here in Pullman.