I like a good story and learning about nature. Although some people may take birds in backyards for granted, the reality is that most species have a rich history and lore. Less than 200 years ago, there were no House Sparrows in North America. Today they are among the most abundant of birds. There are millions these little feathered creatures, resulting from an introduction of this English species.

During the 1850s multiple attempts to import pairs of House Sparrows met with mixed success. Early documentation suggests they were imported to aid in control of canker worms infesting trees in New York and provide wildlife familiar to European immigrants. By the 1870s the imports were released in Salt Lake City and San Francisco. This non-native songbird now thrives on our continent.

Because these imports were continually being brought in to do the work of our native birds, "Sparrow War" became the term for the debate over the pluses and minuses of the House Sparrow. Folks were playing with the environment and really didn't know what the long-term effects would be. As early as the 1880s, a Pennsylvania newspaper said, "The little sparrow has been declared an outlaw by legislative enactment and they can be killed at any time. They were imported into this country from Europe some years ago as a destroyer of insects, but it has been found they are not insectivorous. Besides they drive away all our native song birds and give no equivalent. Let them all be killed."

Our neighboring states of Michigan and Illinois had bounty programs that same decade. Young children killed the birds for pennies that purchased hard candy. From an article in 1892, "The different county treasurers of Illinois have paid out in round figures $8,000 as bounty money under a law allowing 2 cents for the head of each sparrow killed during December, January and February in that State. This shows that about 450,000 sparrows were killed, but the frisky bird seems more numerous than ever."

Criticism over the introduction of House Sparrows continued throughout the early 1900s: they eat more than half their weight in grain daily; they drive out native insect-eating birds and are a nuisance to bluebird boxes, their nests are messy and unsightly, and they are prolific breeders, breeding in all seasons of the year. Although the debate about this species has subsided and they've become well established, many avid backyard bird feeding enthusiasts wonder how they can attract birds other than sparrows.

House Sparrows love all seeds, especially millet. I have a birdseed blend in one feeder for the sparrows and have attempted to discourage sparrows at another feeder by only filling it with black oil sunflower. I am a bit more philosophic about the House Sparrow. I know its history is dark, but I like the quote from the Bible that neutralizes the negatives. "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows." So I look at the "weeds" of the air with acceptance of all visitors in my backyard and as an example of what happens when man tinkers with nature.