World Sparrow Day (March 20)

Welcome presence

 
Sparrows have always fascinated children. I have clear memories from my childhood, of seeing sparrows build untidy nests of straw and small twigs in the corners of the house; on lofts between roof brackets and inside old fashioned ventilating windows near the ceiling.
 

They are lively birds and serve to brighten up the atmosphere with their constant activity and cheerful but noisy chirping. Talkative little children are fondly called sparrows (in Marathi) by parents and relatives, however irritating they may seem to neighbors. But that is a subject beside the point of this post.
 

For most people, presence of sparrows is always welcome. Unlike crows or pigeons that spread filth and disease through their droppings, sparrows are not intrusive and are rarely disliked.
 

Steady decline
Unfortunately, rapid urbanization, changes in building construction patterns and design, and loss of old fashioned dwellings has lead to loss of habitat for sparrows. In distinct contrast, fast adapting birds like pigeons and mynahs found these changes opportune. There has been a remarkable increase in number of these birds, with a corresponding decrease in sparrow numbers. Being aggressive in nature, pigeons have gradually replaced sparrows in the urban landscape. Further, development of mobile telephony and the proliferation of cellular communication towers - radiation from which is believed to adversely affect the sparrows - has also contributed to their declining numbers.
 

Saving the sparrows
Whether or not the decline of sparrows affects the ecosystem, we do not know. In an enlightening article about decline of bees, John Haltiwanger writes that if bees were to disappear, humans would no longer survive. The same statement would probably hold true for most other creatures. Conversely, if humans were to disappear, the ecosystem would flourish and the world would be better off without us.

A world without our feathered friends would be unimaginable. Sparrows, like all living creatures, must be given a chance to survive. Here, I would like to mention that the efforts made by Mr. Anand Patil are certainly commendable.
 

He has designed an innovative bird-feeder at negligible cost using waste items and a nesting box to which the birds took an instant liking.

He is some one who has practiced what is preached and demonstrated that "saving the sparrow" need not just be a slogan. Three cheers to him!