The House Sparrow is an omnivore. Its diet is dominated by seeds, grain and food scraps, but during the breeding season it also takes plenty of insects, which are important for the young. The reduced availability of insects in well-kept, closely mown parks and gardens is thought to contribute to the species' decline in towns. At the bird feeder the House Sparrow readily takes grain, breadcrumbs and sunflower seeds, and it usually forages on the ground in a gathered flock.