Indian Sparrows: Then and Now

Years Ago, when we were kids, every day we used to play and roam around the small gardens and open verandas. Along with my grandmother, I used to visit temple in our local area. We used to pray and then later, we fed the cows and birds. I still remember those days when the most common bird of all was the Sparrow.

Sparrows have been a family member for every kid who was raised in 90s and earlier. In cities when there used to be less buildings, these small creatures used to live their lives chirping, dancing, singing and flying all around.

But today, those sparrows are disappearing. The reasons are ample. Due to Increase in concrete Jungles, they are not able to find suitable homes. In Many cities there are irregularity and imbalance in food chains which causes their deaths.

People aren’t aware of such things. They are just being ignorant, about this Small things. If we do not take a step today we might see those sparrows stuffed in museums.      

Photo Courtesy : Nelson Khor

Passer domesticus aka The Sparrows are common birds. Small in size and weighing around 40gms. They usually eat rice, small insects, wheat grains, millet and many more things. The bird is most commonly found in urban cities and is a small brown-coloured bird, not bigger than a tennis ball, with black streaks on its back. The male is dark brown, with a black bib, grey chest and white cheeks, whereas the female is light brown throughout its body, with no black bib, crown or white cheeks. It is a social species, found in groups of eight to 10, chirping and chattering to communicate with each other.

They have peacefully coexisted with us in our buildings and gardens, but in the last two decades, their population is on the decline in almost every city. The reasons attributed are:

• ·         Rapidly changing cities are no longer a suitable habitat for the house sparrow, as the new and modern designs of infrastructure does not give any room for the sparrow to nest;

• ·         Pollution caused by microwave towers and pesticides;
• ·         The house sparrow loses its foraging grounds (natural grasslands) as the green spaces in our cities give way to more concrete constructions.
• ·         Chemical farming
• ·         Use of plastic, glass and chrome for large constructions

We have listed all possible reasons for decrease in their species, so what can be solutions….. 

1.   Provide them water in small bowls.
2.   Prepare houses from shoe boxes and cardboards and hang it at a place where it safe.   
3.   Provide them with food.
4.   Plant trees such as neem and Gulmohors, Sparrows can build their houses/nests.
5.   Just spread the awareness.

Spreading Awareness is not Enough !!!, We really need to take small steps. Just Hang a small Sparrow house and see them flourish their family- thier chirping with enrich and refresh your minds. you would really be happy - 

"TAKE A SMALL STEP FOR A CHANGE, SEE THE BIGGER RESULTS....."

References:

https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/MGUJ-ANA-OMC-LCL-world-span-90-parcent-of-the-sparrows-have-disappeared-only-5-spikes-in-hectare-gujarati-news-5833762-PHO.html 


https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/priority_species/threatened_species/house_sparrow/