The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Species
Numerous species of the genus Passer and others, most commonly Passer domesticus, the house sparrow, as well as the more distantly related Prunella modularis, the hedge sparrow
Meaning
From ancient Greek spergoulos, 'small wild bird'

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 31 July 2020
  • This entry is complete

Sparrows

Small brown and grey perching birds

Small common birds, with generally brown plumage but a distinctive pattern of light and dark feathers on their heads. They are barely mentioned in the histories of Middle-earth, and indeed no sparrow appears directly at all. However, Gandalf says that the eyesight of the Elves was so keen that they could distinguish a sparrow from a finch at a distance of a league. A league is conventionally equivalent to about three miles, so Gandalf was perhaps exaggerating here, though the eyes of the Elves were indeed extraordinarily sharp. Whether an exaggeration or not, his comment shows that sparrows were well known birds in Middle-earth.


See also...

Finches

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 31 July 2020
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2019-2020. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Your Free Personality Test, the free personality test online
What's your ideal career? Are you in the right job? Explore your options with Your Free Personality Test.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry