Feather a nest for sparrows
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MADURAI:
Once, it was easy to spot house sparrows in buildings and in the
neighbourhood. They began to disappear at an alarming pace a couple of
decades ago as their habitat and food were threatened as increasing
development work took its toll. Fortunately, they are making a come back
in some parts of Madurai city as the earlier threats have began to
recede. However, the little bird needs positive human intervention so
that they get a nest to live and breed.
Earlier, house sparrows used to hop around and build their nests in households, as they tried to stay as close as possible to human settlements to escape predation. Their numbers dwindled around the 1990s so much so that it was hard to even find the bird in some towns and cities across the country. Loss of habitat and food as well as pesticides and mobile phone towers adversely affected the sparrow population. However, bird researchers asserted that the loss of habitat and food are major reasons for the decline in count.
S Bharathidasan of Arulagam, a wildlife NGO in Coimbatore, said changes in house architecture and even human domestic practices affected sparrows more than pesticides or mobile towers. "Houses constructed of late don't have convenient slots for building nests. Besides, washing utensils in the open mattered to these birds as they could pick food particles. Now, cleaning is inside homes. Slowly, sparrows vanished without food and shelter after a long association with human civilisation," he opined.
Ambudoss Arvind, a bird researcher and agriculture professor at Arul Anandar College, said the use of pesticides like benzene hexachloride (BHC) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) caused havoc among several bird species including sparrows. Though sparrows feed on grains, they need worms to feed their young ones. Moreover, accumulation of pesticides in the bird's system affected reproduction. "Interestingly, sparrows are still found in good number in coastal areas and hillocks where the use of pesticides is minimal. But they disappeared from urban and cultivated regions," Arvind explained.
However, the gentle birds are making an effort to come back. M Rajesh, assistant zoology professor at the American College in Madurai, said sparrows could be spotted now in Kudal Nagar, Vilankudi, SS Colony and P & T Nagar in the city.
Through the American College Green Club and Mahiru Foundation, Rajesh has distributed nearly 250 sparrow nests last year. They are planning to distribute another 250 nests on Thursday as another World Sparrow Day is marked. "We are going to organise awareness sessions at places like Mattuthavani, Periyar Bus stand, Arapalaya, Madurai railway junction and Kamarajar Salai to sensitise public about helping sparrows by distributing nests," he said.
"Sparrow population is reviving after the ban on DDT and BHC. It is essential to provide them with food and shelter. Even discarded shoe boxes placed at right places can help them to nest and breed," Arvind said.
"In earlier times, sparrows were seen as a sign of prosperity and people liked their presence in households. We should make some efforts to accommodate them back into our way of life," Bharathidasan added.
Earlier, house sparrows used to hop around and build their nests in households, as they tried to stay as close as possible to human settlements to escape predation. Their numbers dwindled around the 1990s so much so that it was hard to even find the bird in some towns and cities across the country. Loss of habitat and food as well as pesticides and mobile phone towers adversely affected the sparrow population. However, bird researchers asserted that the loss of habitat and food are major reasons for the decline in count.
S Bharathidasan of Arulagam, a wildlife NGO in Coimbatore, said changes in house architecture and even human domestic practices affected sparrows more than pesticides or mobile towers. "Houses constructed of late don't have convenient slots for building nests. Besides, washing utensils in the open mattered to these birds as they could pick food particles. Now, cleaning is inside homes. Slowly, sparrows vanished without food and shelter after a long association with human civilisation," he opined.
Ambudoss Arvind, a bird researcher and agriculture professor at Arul Anandar College, said the use of pesticides like benzene hexachloride (BHC) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) caused havoc among several bird species including sparrows. Though sparrows feed on grains, they need worms to feed their young ones. Moreover, accumulation of pesticides in the bird's system affected reproduction. "Interestingly, sparrows are still found in good number in coastal areas and hillocks where the use of pesticides is minimal. But they disappeared from urban and cultivated regions," Arvind explained.
However, the gentle birds are making an effort to come back. M Rajesh, assistant zoology professor at the American College in Madurai, said sparrows could be spotted now in Kudal Nagar, Vilankudi, SS Colony and P & T Nagar in the city.
Through the American College Green Club and Mahiru Foundation, Rajesh has distributed nearly 250 sparrow nests last year. They are planning to distribute another 250 nests on Thursday as another World Sparrow Day is marked. "We are going to organise awareness sessions at places like Mattuthavani, Periyar Bus stand, Arapalaya, Madurai railway junction and Kamarajar Salai to sensitise public about helping sparrows by distributing nests," he said.
"Sparrow population is reviving after the ban on DDT and BHC. It is essential to provide them with food and shelter. Even discarded shoe boxes placed at right places can help them to nest and breed," Arvind said.
"In earlier times, sparrows were seen as a sign of prosperity and people liked their presence in households. We should make some efforts to accommodate them back into our way of life," Bharathidasan added.
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