They are small birds with thick bills for eating seeds, and are mostly coloured grey or brown.

These sparrows are plump little brown or greyish birds, often with black, yellow or white markings.

Most of its members are found naturally in open habitats in the warmer climates of Africa and southern Eurasia.

The Eurasian tree sparrow has also been artificially introduced on a smaller scale, with populations in Australia and locally in Missouri and Illinois in the United States.

Passer sparrows are primarily ground-feeding seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects especially when breeding.