Habitat characteristics of the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in McDonough County, Illinois

Knowing the specific habitat conditions that a certain species favors can aid researchers in understanding where the species tends to thrive and, depending on the status of the species (endangered, native, non-native, invasive), can lead to control, increase, or eradication of the species. The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) (ETSP) is a non-native species that has not expanded across the United States like the closely related house sparrow (Passer domesticus) (HOSP). Very limited research is available concerning the Eurasian tree sparrow in the United States. The purpose of this study is to identify habitat conditions of the ETSP and HOSP in west-central Illinois.;Forty-two random points were selected in six different land use/land covers across McDonough County, Illinois. Presence/absence data were collected for both the ETSP and the HOSP by sight and sound. Distances from each random point to the nearest cropland, grassland, urban area, forest, water, and building were acquired using ArcMap. A forest variability ratio distance (for the nearest forest) and elevation at each point were also gathered using ArcMap. These data were inserted into the habitat modeling software HyperNiche to obtain models that indicated the most important habitat variables for the ETSP and the HOSP.;The ETSP presence was affected by distances to grass, buildings, cropland and forest. Average wind speed, elevation and distances to grass, water, urban areas and forest affected the House sparrow presence. Mean values of the non-random point ETSP data supported the random point model data.;This research supports continued studying of ETSP and HOSP tendencies in the United States, supplying basic habitat knowledge for future ecological research.