Abstractsparrow extinct. gone are days when house

ABSTRACTSparrowpopulation continues to decline in urban areas of India. Lack of research andunderstanding has aggravated the rate of their disappearance. These birds beingan indicator of environmental health, needs to be saved before they becomeextinct. Gone are days when house sparrows were themost common birds amongst bird species in India. House sparrow is one of theendangering species of recent times. It has various roles to play in the urbanenvironment and also helps to keep the ecological balance. The reasons for itsdeclining are many such as lack of nesting places, lack of food andunwillingness of common man to coexist with it etc.

On the whole it is an alarmbell to all to take necessary steps to conserve the small bird. In our localitywe have taken an initiative step by setting about 30 Nest pot in variouslocations & in each houses where sparrows noticed and places where chancenesting is positive. And we have spread some grains purchased from the marketsas a source of food for the sparrows. A positive outcome was observed. Keywords: House sparrows, endangered species, Disappearing sparrows, Casestudy in metro cities, Save Sparrow Project         INTRODUCTION: Sparrow is the most lovable, small and harmlessbird.

Sparrows can be seen anywhere in our surroundings. It is a social bird. Manyin India have grown up with the chirruping of the house sparrows. These tinylittle grey birds have been constant companions of humans, sometimes noisy neighbors& morning alarm bells.

Unfortunately, while once you opened your windows tobe automatically greeted by their calls, the house sparrows have stoppedcalling your house. Their numbers are dwindling at such a high rate, thatconservationists are concerned, that this species that has had such an amicablerelationship with the urban world, may slowly but steadily losing itspopulation & just not finding its little space among the concrete jungleanymore. You were able to see a sparrow around you whenever you want some yearsago. But now days you have to search a sparrow if you want to show yourchildren. The population of sparrow is declining. According to a study there is80% decline in the numbers of sparrow. Sparrow is an important part of ourlife.

Since we have grown to adult by observing this small and beautiful bird. The fallen sparrow inspired Salim Ali’s carrier in ornithology. Now this is decreasing day by day. Now we have tosave this sparrow to save our environment. To aware the people 20th march iscelebrated as world sparrow day every year. OBSERVATIONS: 1. In Delhi: The chirpy sounds made by these small birds arerarely heard today; and their absence, even though tiny, is increasinglybecoming noticeable.

Due to decrease in numbers, a bird as common as the sparrowwas included by the IUCN in its Red Data List of threatened species in 2002alongside the glamorous snow leopard, tiger and red panda. How and why didthese common birds that were once regarded as dominant bird species, suddenlydisappear? This is a question frequently asked by ornithologists, researchers, scientists, and bird lovers. At a discussion, disappearing sparrows, organisedby ToxicsLink in collaborationwith India International Centre, in Delhi, experts discussed the reasons forthe decline in the sparrow population. The destruction of wetland bird areas, loss ofshrub vegetation coupled with reduction in potential breeding sites, hasaccelerated the rate of decline in the sparrow population in India. But themajor reason for this decline in their number is the scarcity of insects andgrains which serve as protein supplements for the young ones of sparrows. The presence of anti knocking agents like lead in petrol is known to causedeadly poisoning in birds. People in urban areasare often seen feeding grains to rock pigeons. Due to availability of plentyfood which gives these pigeons bliss of food security has resulted inover-explosion of their population.

These pigeons are now occupying the nestingspaces of sparrows, as a result of which the sparrow population has drasticallyreduced in urban areas in the country. Calling sparrows a starspecies, Koustubh Sharma, Research Associate, Nature Conservation Foundation& Co-investigator, BNHS-Citizen Sparrow Project, noted that in the same wayas snow leopards are considered indicators of climate and environmental changesat higher altitudes, sparrows are indicators of such changes in the urbanecosystem; and hence can be regarded as the snow leopard of the urbanecosystem. Evidence of absence or absence of evidenceSharma added that due tolack of research and understanding, the reasons for the vanishing of sparrowsare still unknown. He added: “ We still lack a large scale systematic communitythat pools in information on species.” Appreciating the efforts made by the UKin monitoring bird species, he said that through its systematic annual birdmonitoring programme, the country has been able to generate 10 timesmore effective and efficient data than any other bigger country. The UK’s birdmonitoring programme has shown that the decline in the sparrow population inrural and urban areas has been about 50 and 60 per cent respectively. Sensitizing citizens for protecting sparrowsRecognizing the importance of peoples’ participation inconservation, Sharma highlighted the Citizen Sparrow Project that aims atcreating a constituency for sparrows among the citizens in India. A jointinitiative by the Bombay Natural History Society and Ministry ofEnvironment and Forests, this project is inviting inputs by citizens on thesightings of sparrows.

The project ultimately will help in estimating the exactreason for the reduction in the sparrow population. The program so far hasreceived around 7461 contributions from 4701 people at 6019 locations in India. The discussion, moderated by Ravi Aggarwal, Director, Toxic Links, also had a film screening. Directed by NutanManmohan, the film Beyond the Mirage shows the battle overfood and habitat among the small and big birds that throng Delhi. It documentsthe predicament of smaller birds like sparrows, which are fast loosing this waragainst their big brethren. These birds, being an indicator of environmentalhealth, need to be saved before they can be seen only in books or on theinternet. In Mumbai: The friendly chirpon the window sill will soon be a sight for sore eyes in Mumbai, as theinnocuous sparrow is being wiped out from the urban jungle. ‘ A sparrow is tothe city what a tiger is to the forest’ can best sum up today’s situation, signifying how sparrows are the bio-indicators of an urban environment, muchlike the tiger whose decline indicates a threat to the ecosystem.

Here are 10reasons why Mumbaikars need to save the sparrow: 1. Falling of treesIt is commonknowledge that more the number of trees, more the number of birds. The spike inthe felling of trees in Mumbai is a major reason why sparrows and other birdsare facing a loss of habitat. But wait, sparrows nest in buildings too, right? They do, indeed, but are sadly facing a double whammy. 2.

Lack ofcavity nestingThe ubiquitousglass buildings of Mumbai—the corporate dens—have replaced many olderstructures that were built with a façade that had nooks and crannies, evenbricked roofs, which allow sparrows to nest. Cavities are important for birdslike sparrows, mynahs, parakeets, etc. to make nests. This is one of thereasons why South Mumbai sees a comparatively larger sparrow population due toheritage and older buildings being preserved to date. 3.

Absenceof native plantsNative plants suchas adulsa, mehndi and many others are outdone by fancy non-native ones likeDuranta Erecta, Dumb Cane and others as the trend of modern landscaping catcheson. Native plants are the natural habitats of sparrows, providing them insectssuch as aphids to feed on. Sparrows need a diet of insects in their formativeyears to grow into healthy adults. 4. Absenceof hedgerowsContemporarylandscaping is also doing away with hedges, which are preferred by sparrows fornesting. Thick hedgerows are known to protect nesting birds such as the sparrowfrom predation.

5. Widespread use of concreteSparrows are knownto take two types of bath—one with water and one with dust. With the extensiveuse of concrete in Mumbai, the species is unable to take dust baths. 6.

Moderngrocery storageSpeaking of food, sparrows are known to feed on tiny grains like bajra, which were earlier freelyavailable from pecking at gunny bags stored outside older-style grocery storesand even the grains spilled on the ground. Modern grocery stores withair-conditioning and plastic packaging take away any chance of finding foodgrains to feed on. 7.

Chemical fertilizers in agricultural produceHeavy use ofchemical fertilizers leads to agricultural produce being laced by them, henceruining the food of sparrows. 8. Cellphone radiationTheelectromagnetic fields and radiation created by mobile towers are known toaffect sparrows, simultaneously indicating that the radiation is also harmfulto humans. The effects range from damage to the immune and nervous system ofsparrows to interference with their navigating sensors. 9. Highlitter index in MumbaiThere is a rise inthe population of crows and stray cats due to the high litter index in Mumbai.

Simply put, more the garbage, more the predators that prey on sparrows. 10. SuperstitionsLast but notleast, humans with their firm belief in superstitions are known to consume sparrows, as some believe the male species to be an aphrodisiac. WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE?·        In 2012, theChief Minister, Ms.

Sheila Dikshit, declared the house sparrow the state birdof Delhi. Addressing school children at her residence during a functionorganized to celebrate Wildlife Week, Ms. Dikshit said that the idea behindmaking the house sparrow the State bird was to protect it.·        Students fromWomen’s College, Patna, distributed handbills to the public & scatteredmillets for sparrows.·        People inBristol recorded house sparrow sightings & blogged about it.·        TheNFS in association with the Burhani Foundation (India) started ‘ SOS’ (Save OurSparrow), an initiative in which they distributed 52, 000 bird feeders acrossthe world on a non-profit basis.

·        TheIndian Postal Department released a stamp of the house sparrow along with therock pigeon on March 20, 2010.·        State Bank ofIndia in all its branches initiated distribution of  feeders for sparrows. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SAVE SPARROWS OR WHAT IS THEIMPORTANCE OF SPARROWS? 1.     Ecological balance: Every animal & plant in this world has its significance. Thesparrow is a member of many food chain & food web.

So as you know if youharm any food chain it will affect complete food web. So if you will not savesparrow it will disturb ecological balance. 2.     Pollination in many plants: Sparrow helps in pollination in many plants. Pollination is aprocess by which the pollen grain of one flower reaches to stigma of otherflower in sexual reproduction. So, sparrow helps in the production of newplants.

3.     Reduce many diseases: Sparrow eats larvae of many insects & mosquitoes which causesmany diseases like malaria, dengue etc. So sparrows protect us from manydiseases which are life threatened. 4.     Brings prosperity: Sparrows bring prosperity for us.

We like to watch this small& lovable bird. Our children always want to watch & hear its chirpingwhich entertains them lot. REASONS OF DECLININGSPARROWS: The number of sparrows is declining.

Some important reasons of declining  arefollows: Loss ofhabitat due to Architectural changes: The traditional architecture allowed sparrows to make theirnests in a holes, roofs, crevices of old houses . But modern architecture whichintroduced box – styled flats have no provision for sparrows to nest and layeggs. Lack offood (Groceries to supermarkets) Few years back, grains were sold in grocery stores. The grainsspilt from gunny bags were a major source of feeding omnivorous birds likesparrows.

The grains were dried in huge quantities out in the open, which gavethe birds their share of the introduction of grains. But now the scenario isdifferent because of Food Bazar and packaged food. Electromagneticradiations (Mobile radiations): The scientists who are trying to unravel the cause of Sparrow’sdisappearance have identified a new culprit: the mobile phone. Studies havewarned about the effects of these mobile radiations on reproduction andfertility of eggs. Animals navigate by the Earth’s magnetic fields and thesewaves can disturb a bird’s ability to find their way around. UnleadedPetrol & Insecticides: The extensive use of pesticides andinsecticides in our farms and gardens has created a scarcity of insects. Theunleaded fuel, believed to be eco-friendly, has harmful byproducts.

The fueluses Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) as an anti-knocking agent. By mixingwith the byproducts of combustion, this kills small insects. Though adultsparrows can survive without insects being a part of diet, they need these tofeed their young ones, and hence, the infant mortality rate of sparrows hasgone up. Modern Agriculture: Modern agriculture is also a important reasonof decline the numbers of sparrows. In modern agriculture insecticide andpesticides are widely used which adversely affect the birds directly andindirectly.

When sparrows eat this types of fruits this affects in theformation of egg’s shell. The numbers of insects decrease due to insecticideswhose larvae are food of sparrows. Pollution: Pollution is the most important reasons ofdeclining the numbers of sparrows. Different types of pollution like waterpollution, soil pollution, noise pollution, etc adversely affect sparrows. Loss of tree cover: The deforestation is also a reason of declineof sparrow’s population.

We are constructing modern buildings, malls, bigbazaar, industries etc by destroying forest and plants. Urbanization and Unplanned development: Urbanization and unplanned development are alsothe most important causes of decline of sparrow’s population. Pigeons, crows & other big bird’s population: Religiousbeliefs encourage feeding of a particular species of birds and therefore, thebirds like crows and pigeons have outnumbered small birds.

These birdsdominantly occupy the feeding and nesting sites. SAVETHE SPARROW PROJECT   The man behind theWorld House Sparrow Day: The man who started the initiative is environmentalist Mohd. Dilwar who wants to conserve the species as well as to create awareness amongpeople. Dilawar believes that we should not only be concerned about thethreatened or endangered species but the more commonly seen species like thesparrow that are often neglected when conservation efforts are planned. He says, “ The rationale of having this day is not simply tocelebrate the event for a single day, but to use it to bring together all theindividuals & organizations working for conservation of sparrows &urban biodiversity on a common platform. We aim to build a network which canresult in better linkages of like-minded people.

In the long-term, it’s aneffective way to carry out advocacy, do collaborative research and formnational & international linkages”. World Sparrow Day, celebrated on March 20 annually, is an initiative of the Nature ForeverSociety. In less than four years, this popular event has been celebrated inmore than 50 countries around the world; including in Europe and parts of SouthAsia. World Sparrow Day is not only about house sparrows. It includes all 26species of sparrows found in the world. The NFS had many events lined up forthe global awareness day like as:·        Exclusive photographs& information on about 26 species of sparrows on its website·        Photography Workshop ·        Common bird watchingtrips·        Public discussions·        Presentations ·        Exhibitions ·        Bird rallies ·        Educational &Public eventsSUGGESTIONS: WHATWE CAN DO? It is ourduty to save this small, lovable, beautiful& harmless bird for environment& for ourselves. Don’t do bigger things.

Only by doing smaller things youcan give your support to save this bird & our environment.  1.      Adopt a nest box (surrogate cavity) and a feeder with theright kind of grain in it, to encourage sparrows to feed. This way, you’dprovide them with a constant source of food. 2.

Plant native speciesof plants to help build a sparrow-friendly habitat and to espouse insectpopulation. 3.       Set up a water bath, especially in summer, to allow the birds to drink and bathe. 4.      Prevent Bird Collisions with YourWindows:  Collisions are one of the most frequentcauses of bird deaths. Birds see nature reflected in the window or mistakehouseplants inside the building for outdoor plants and fly into the glass. Putting up curtains or window decals helps make the window visible to birds. 5.

Protect Birds From Pets: Unleashed dogs and outdoor cats can harm birds by disturbing, chasing, and even killing them. Keeping your cat indoors and your dog from strayingsaves millions of birds each year.    6.       Clean your Bird Feeders: Dirty feeders can spread disease.

Disinfect and clean out old seed fromfeeders frequently and put fresh water in your bird bath every day. 7.      Use Cloth Grocery Bags and Reusable Bottles: Birds that mistakenly eat plastic trash can become ill or even die. Avoiding plastic bags and bottles reduces plastic pollution and conservesresources. 8.      Restore Natural Habitat in YourCommunity:  Birds need a place to live and many birdhabitats are disappearing. City parks and open spaces are natural places forbirds.  Work with your community to recreate the habitat that once existedin your area.

9.      Keep Your Distance: Birds need space for feeding, nesting, and other daily activities. Approaching too closely may cause them to become nervous and depletemuch-needed energy reserves.  During the nesting season, it may evenresult in loss of eggs or young to predators.

10.  Teach Others About Birds:  Talk to your friends about birds and start a club in your community toteach people about the challenges birds face. The more people know, the morethey can do to help. 11.  Support Conservation:  Join a bird club or other conservation organization to learn more andcontribute to protecting birds. Volunteer with organizations that preservehabitat and help birds.

Spread theword and encourage friends and family to save the sparrow. For moreinformation, visit www. natureforever.

org12.   Be a Citizen Scientist: Many projects need helpers to gather data on birds and their habitat. Contact your local Nature Center, library or conservation organization tovolunteer. 13.  Reduce Energy Use:  Riding your bike or walking reduces your carbon footprint and preventspollution of bird habitats. Switching off the lights in your house not onlyshrinks your energy bill, but can also help prevent birds from colliding withyour windows.

14.  Avoid Chemicals: Birds may accidentally eat pesticide and herbicide pellets or prey thathave been poisoned.  This can kill a bird or have toxic effects on theirown health and that of their growing embryos, including deformation orsuppressed immune systems.

REFERENCES: www. natureforever. orgwww.

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J. Environ. Sci. 1: 1574-1580.  http://www. thehindu. com/features/kids/save-our-sparrows/article4496787.

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International Journal ofBiodiversity and Conservation 6: 194-199. DanielsRJR (2008) Can wesave the sparrow. Current Science, 95: 1527-1528.

VijayanVS (2003) Where have all the sparrows gone? Down to Earth, New Delhi, India. The Hindu (2013) Cell phone radiation may be harmful, but not lethal. Chennai, India. Crick HQ, Robinson RA, Appleton GF, Clark NA, Rickard AD (2002).

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