The Forgotten Friend - House Sparrow

Little friends from our childhood and their constant presence outside our doors makes them easy to overlook, House sparrows are the most common birds and are one among the mans oldest living commensals. Today they are facing steep decline in their populations due to various reasons. The future of these tiny friends is uncertain.

It is heart wrenching if we look back the time we spent with these winged beings during our childhood days. These birds are among them who can only leave with humans, nothing concerned with disappearing forests or any destruction of specific habitats as threats faced by other species. But where have the sparrows gone? They need our support for their existence and survival.

Blame it on the modern lifestyle, making deprived  availability of nesting, roosting space, food and other basic need of the house sparrow to sustain. Blame it on the modern architecture with no space for nesting and roosting. Remember the old building, domestic homes had adequate cavities that were the potential nesting areas of house sparrows. Blame it on our modern lifestyle of shopping malls, processed ready foods, mobile communication towers, threshold limits of pollution, excessive and unsafe usage of pesticides and insecticides, blame it on the non availability of nest building materials and the list continues endlessly.

On a positive note, as a silver lining in the dark cloud, an interesting observation is the presence of house sparrows in my locality (Attibele). The residents here are also keen on providing amenities for the sparrow to breed and share the living space along with us.

One in every three house in our area has been put up with a nesting box aiding the sparrows to roost and breed. Be it a professionally made nest box or a simple cartoon box with a hole made on it have become home for several sparrows. Its very simple to keep that small box in an undisturbed safe area inside your compound. Throw some grains near to attract birds, and naturally they make the place as their residence. 

The conservation of these beautiful creatures is very much essential to the success of mankind. 20th March is the world sparrow day celebrated to remember sparrows and spread awareness among people to conserve them. Still a ray of hope is there if we make conductive space for their lively hood around us. 

Think friends, think of a space in your compound to keep nesting box, some water and few grams of food grains. Make a difference and contribute towards helpless sparrows. Live and Let Live.....

Regards,

Swaroop.G.Bharadwaj

     

 Image of innocent and cute House Sparrow.

Simple things to make difference - a nesting facility for them! Already they have occupied the box and built nest with the straws and sticks.

Simple facility using a waste carton box, just hanging in the car parking canopy. The grass and sticks were naturally put by sparrows and they roost here.