The "true sparrows", the Old World sparrows, in the family. Passeridae are small passerine birds. Generally, sparrows are small, plump brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby yet powerful beaks. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. They are primarily seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects. A few species scavenge for food around cities and, like gulls and pigeons can become pests as they will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities.
"American Sparrow" or the New World sparrows, are not closely related to the "true sparrows", despite some physical resemblance, such as the seed-eater's bill and frequently well-marked heads. They are in the family Emberizidae.