The high proportion of residential areas with gardens surrounding House Sparrow nest sites is unsurprising, given that these areas meet both the nesting and foraging requirements for the species. Domestic gardens have long been identified as important sources of food for many bird species throughout the year (Gaston et al. 2005). Houses with gardens are known to be associated with high densities of House Sparrows, although those in deprived areas appear to offer more suitable nesting and foraging opportunities than those in more affluent areas (Chamberlain et al. 2007, Shaw et al. 2008). The strong preference of House Sparrows for these areas, even in the presence of brownfield sites and allotments rich in invertebrate species (Eyre et al. 2003, Chamberlain et al. 2007), shows the importance of private gardens for nesting birds. In the case of the House Sparrow it is likely that their small foraging range obliges nesting birds to choose potential foraging areas that are as close as possible to the nest site itself; and in many cases the gardens attached to the house will be the nearest suitable site.