Ron Wilkinson

I recently went to the local supermarket and parked in the underground car
park. On my return to the car I saw what looked like a distressed sparrow on
the ground. On close inspection it turned out to be 2 male (I think) house
sparrows fighting! They looked more like they were wrestling than anything
else, rolling over and over. They only flew off when I got within a foot or
so of them and then they just carried on 'wrestling' on the floor again a
few yards away. They were not fighting over food or anything else visible.
They again only flew off when I got within touching distance. Is this normal
behaviour? what would they be fighting over at this time of year, territory?

Malcolm

In article <j4AUg.58486$G72.53432@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net>, Ron Wilkinson
<wilkinr@ntlworld.com> writes
>I recently went to the local supermarket and parked in the underground car
>park. On my return to the car I saw what looked like a distressed sparrow on
>the ground. On close inspection it turned out to be 2 male (I think) house
>sparrows fighting! They looked more like they were wrestling than anything
>else, rolling over and over. They only flew off when I got within a foot or
>so of them and then they just carried on 'wrestling' on the floor again a
>few yards away. They were not fighting over food or anything else visible.
>They again only flew off when I got within touching distance. Is this normal
>behaviour? what would they be fighting over at this time of year, territory?
>
Yes and yes.

--
Malcolm