Department of Agriculture and Food Esperance biosecurity officer David Dodge said a quarantine officer had sighted the sparrows on loading equipment and they may have been present at the port for up to two weeks.

Mr Dodge said it was most likely the birds had travelled from Asia, where there was an abundance of sparrows, with a number of vessels from the region arriving during the past fortnight.

“Department biosecurity officers visited the port and were able to remove the birds,” he said.

Tree sparrows are declared pests in Western Australia and often found near sea ports, after arriving on ships from Asia.

“Over the last few years sparrows have been discovered in Albany, Australind, Bridgetown, Bunbury, Burrup Peninsula, Dampier, Fremantle, Garden Island, Geraldton, Kwinana, Leeming, Port Hedland, Point Sampson, Roebourne and Two Rocks,” Mr Dodge said.

“Sparrows have the potential to damage cultivated grain and horticulture crops, spread disease and compete with native birds for food. They can also damage buildings through nesting, roosting and feeding.”

Tree sparrows are about 15cms long and look similar to finches but are slightly plumper. They are brown or dark grey, with a streaked back and a wedge-shaped beak.

Mr Dodge said it was concerning that the birds were present for a while before they were reported, but congratulated the officer for reporting the birds.

“The discovery of the sparrows highlights the need for members of the public, particularly those living near ports, to report any unusual birds quickly, so they can be monitored and removed from the wild as soon as possible,” he said.

Mark Biven, local primary producer and past president of the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association, commended those involved in tracking down and removing the birds.

“It’s great to see everyone acting as stewards of agriculture and the environment in working to prevent sparrows establishing in the wild in Western Australia,” he said.

Any sightings of sparrows or other unusual, exotic birds should be reported immediately to the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Esperance Office on 9083 1111 or alternatively freecall 1800 084 881.