The book Federleicht by Eva Goris and Claus-Peter Hutter is about a very special bird – the house sparrow. Most people are likely familiar with it, as it is still one of the more common birds. But what do we actually know about what is probably the most common bird in Germany? I read the book with great joy and curiosity, and I’m happy to share a few impressions of the book and of house sparrows here in this blog post. Unfortunately, the book is, so far, only in German.
Authors: Eva Goris and Claus-Peter Hutter
Imprint: Heyne Verlag
Length: 273 pages
Published: 2022
Language: German
Thoughts about the book
One of the birds that is still among the most common in Germany is the sparrow – also known as the house sparrow. In fact, the house sparrow took first place in the spring bird count 2025, organized by NABU and LBV. In most federal states, it also appears to top the rankings. For now, it remains one of the more frequently observed songbirds.
Since I encounter house sparrows almost daily here in Berlin, I was delighted to come across a book like Federleicht. This book is dedicated entirely to the house sparrow. How does it live? What does it eat? And what other types of sparrows exist besides the house sparrow?
Even though I see house sparrows almost every day, there are still so many things I didn’t know about them. House sparrows have adapted well to city life. In urban areas, they eat not only seeds but also bread crumbs. But did you know that house sparrows depend on insects? While adult birds can resort to seeds or other food sources, house sparrow chicks rely on insects to survive. So when insect populations decline, it directly affects the sparrows as well.
One thing I also took away from the book Federleicht is that house sparrows are very clean animals. Although they take dust baths, they are by no means “dirty birds” or anything like that. On the contrary – they use dust baths to rid themselves of parasites.
This book made me reflect in many ways. It begins with an unusual encounter – with Federle, a house sparrow that sought out the company of one of the authors. That encounter became the key inspiration behind Federleicht. The passages about Federle really made me think: how would I react in such a situation? What would I do if a bird started visiting me every day out of the blue? Would I turn it away so it wouldn’t grow too close to humans? Or would I allow its presence? Should conservationists or scientists even allow themselves to grow emotionally attached to a wild animal? And if they do – will they still be taken seriously?
I really enjoyed this book and hope that many more readers will discover it and learn more about the wonderful house sparrow.
Conclusion
Astonishing. Unique. Informative. Federleicht is a book that dives deep into the world of house sparrows – and one that will hopefully be read by many, many people.
Have you heard of the book Federleicht? Or do you have a special story or experience with sparrows you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments.