Sparrows are second-level consumers in the food chain, meaning they don't get energy directly from the first level consumers. Here's how the energy flow works:

* First-level consumers are herbivores that eat plants. Examples include insects, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and snails.

* Second-level consumers like sparrows eat the first-level consumers. They gain energy by consuming the insects, caterpillars, etc.

Here's a simple food chain example:

* Plants: The first level of the food chain, providing energy for everyone else.

* Caterpillar: A first-level consumer that eats plants.

* Sparrow: A second-level consumer that eats the caterpillar.

So, a sparrow gets energy from the first-level consumer indirectly, by eating an animal that has already consumed plants. This is how energy flows up through the food chain.