Care for Sparrows

There was a time when the morning used to begin with the crows of cocks, the squeaks of squirrels and the chirps of sparrows. Alas, this happened a long time back – days of our fathers and forefathers. We have lost that privilege. How days begin in current technologically advanced age is anybody’s guess. We seldom care these days and even if we start doing it from tomorrow onwards, we will miss the sparrows.

The sparrow can hardly find a nesting spot in our modern flats unlike the ventilators of old bungalows or a cozy nook in a home garden. Today, they are bombarded by industrial pollution, chemical pesticides and more recently the threat of electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers and phones which affect the breeding of sparrows. Any wonder that we now have to draw attention to their plight by declaring a World House Sparrow Day?

March 20 is celebrated each year as World House Sparrow Day. The decline in the number of house sparrows has been rather sharp. Ornithologists point out several reasons for this including unavailability of nesting safe heavens, lack of food and use of pesticide. Bird watchers from New Delhi came forward and declared in 2010 that March 20 will be celebrated as WHSD annually. This year a convention took place in Bengaluru at Wipro campus where a theme was adopted for this year – “Chirp for Sparrow, Tweet for Sparrow”. Bombay Natural History Society and Shimla Bird Forum are some of the active groups working hard to provide adequate support for sparrow to nest, feed and breed.

More than celebrating World House Sparrow Day (WHSD) on March 20, it is our year long concern for these energetic birds that can ensure their survival. One can start by placing a small wooden nest box on the balcony, placing a container of water especially during the summer months, scattering food grains and making sure nests and eggs of these birds are secure. House sparrows are one of the few birds that choose to live in the vicinity of humans, lets give them reason to continue to do so!