Editing Old World sparrow (section)

{{Short description|Family of songbirds}}
{{About|Old World sparrows|New World sparrows|New World sparrow||Sparrow (disambiguation)}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = House sparrow male in Prospect Park (53532).jpg
| image_caption = Male [[house sparrow]] (''Passer domesticus'')
| display_parents = 3
| taxon = Passeridae
| authority = [[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque|Rafinesque]], 1815
| type_genus = ''[[Passer]]''
| type_genus_authority = [[Mathurin Jacques Brisson|Brisson]], 1760
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = * ''[[Hypocryptadius]]''
* ''[[Carpospiza]]''
* ''[[Petronia]]''
* ''[[Onychostruthus]]''
* ''[[Montifringilla]]''
* ''[[Pyrgilauda]]''
* ''[[Gymnoris]]''
* ''[[Passer]]''
}}

'''Old World sparrows''' are a group of small [[passerine]] [[bird]]s forming the [[family (biology)|family]] '''Passeridae'''. They are also known as '''true sparrows''', a name also used for a particular [[genus]] of the family, ''[[Passer]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Summers-Smith|2005|p=17}}</ref> They are distinct from both the [[New World sparrow]]s, in the family [[Passerellidae]], and from a few other birds sharing their name, such as the [[Java sparrow]] of the family [[Estrildidae]]. Many species nest on buildings and the [[House sparrow|house]] and [[Eurasian tree sparrow]]s, in particular, inhabit cities in large numbers. They are primarily [[seed predation|seed-eaters]], though they also consume small [[insect]]s. Some species scavenge for food around cities and, like [[rock dove|pigeons]] or [[gull]]s, will eat small quantities of a diversity of items.