Question: Before House Sparrows became abundant, what was the most common city sparrow?
Answer: The Chipping Sparrow. It is a winter visitor to Collier County, where it is often seen in small flocks of up to 20 birds. During the winter, it prefers to be in open, short grass areas with scattered trees or brush, including yards and parks.
Essentially a seed eater, it will also eat insects and spiders and can survive on dry seeds without drinking for up to three weeks.