Can a female house finch mate with a wild male sparrow?

Question

My friend found a female house finch a couple years ago, and has been keeping her like a pet. She found a male sparrow today in her yard (that might've been attacked by a cat) and she wants them to mate. But since they are different bird species, I don't know if it is possible or not.

Answer 1

First of all, your friend should have never kept a wild bird as a pet..she is actually breaking the law, all wild native birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  No, sparrows and finches are totally different species and cannot mate with one another.  Also, if the sparrow has wounds from the cat..it will die quickly without antibiotic treatment as cats carry a lot of bacteria in their saliva and infection will set in.

Answer 2

Finches and sparrows aren't just different species, they belong to separate genera and different families. It's impossible for them to produce young.

I wouldn't keep the sparrow with the finch anyway--not only could it be carrying some form of disease that the finch might catch, but sparrows are aggressive little things and it may attack or even kill the finch; in the wild, house sparrows have been known to decapitate songbirds in disputes over nesting sites.

Answer 3

No, not possible.  They might even fight very severely.

Answer 4

First of all, the wild sparrow may be carrying diseases that could kill the finch. They should not be kept together.

Secondly, if the sparrow is injured, it needs to be taken to a professional wildlife rehabilitator or a veterinarian that can care for it and return it to the wild.

Thirdly, no, the birds will not mate. They are completely different species and keeping the birds together is not safe.

Answer 5

Different genetic make-up.

Answer 6

Yes they can mate. Their babies will probably be mules. I have mated them to red factor canaries. Mine were some wonderful singers. They got the volume of the House  Finch and the tours of a canary.  

Answer 7

It is not possible, the genetic make up is different (as said previously)

If she cares about her finch she wouldnt put the two together, the wild sparrow could have diseases that could harm or kill the finch.