Disneyland is a weird place. I grew up near there in Southern California, so as a kid, I got

really familiar with rides like the jungle crews, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion.

I'll admit, I used to love going to Disneyland. But yeah, it's weird. It's teeming with all these animals and fantastical creatures

that are 100% fake. They're puppets or robots made of plastic or metal or concrete. When you visit

Disneyland, you're supposed to suspend your disbelief so that all those fake things seem kind of real.

But unless you're a four-year-old, it's hard not to see the facade for what it is.

So I guess that's why I have this memory from when I was a kid.

I remember being amazed to see real live songbirds hopping around

on the ground at Disneyland. These small living animals were a striking contradiction to their

mostly artificial surroundings. Now, no doubt you've seen the title for this podcast episode,

so you know where I'm going with this.

Those Disneyland birds were house sparrows.

I remember them chirping and begging me for French fries, as is the custom of their kind.

As a naive kid, I thought those house sparrows at the Magic Kingdom were quote-unquote wild birds.

I had no idea what species they were, and I didn't know their backstory.

And oh boy, does the house Sparrow have quite the backstory.

Hello and welcome.

This is the Science of Birds.

I am your host, Ivan Philipson.

The Science of Birds podcast is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners.

This episode, which is number 93, is all about the house sparrow, passer domesticus.

We'll get into what this species looks and sounds like, where it lives, its behavior,

...