RESTORATION OF BIODIVERSITY THROUGH SPARROW CONSERVATION

The chirping common house sparrows, the welcome visitors, were once spotted in
most of the houses in urban and rural areas. It was believed to be a good accomplice to
augur prosperity and well beings to the family. It has, over a period of time, evolved with
us. At one time a very commonsight, in the past few years, this bird has been on the
decline over much of its natural range, both in the urban and rural habitats. The decline of
the house sparrows is an indicator of the change in life style and consequent continuous
degradation of the environment.

The place around us and our homes as such, has undergone vast changes recent
years. As a consequence, the life of sparrows is threatened due to reduction of safe nesting
places and shortage of grains and insects as feed. Sparrows consume small insects and
worms from the grass fields and agriculture lands nearby. Insects and worms are destroyed
by indiscriminate use of pesticides. At the same time sparrows are being targeted by their
predators crows, eagles, owls
A common house sparrow
etc., which ultimately upsets the
food chain system.

Reason for Sparrows decline:

Abolition of safe nesting sites inside the houses due to adoption of concrete roofs
from traditional tiled houses with rafters and reapers.
Depletion of tiny insects due to the loss of vegetation around buildings.
The excessive use of mosquito repellents indoors and insecticides outdoors.
Closure of entry or exit points for feeding sparrows nestlings with air conditionings
Increasing noise from automobiles and their gaseous pollutants.
Increase in electromagnetic radiation from cell phone towers outdoors.
Explosive use of diverse wireless devices indoors.
Scarcity of our traditional small grains.
Deforestation and felling of trees.
Absence of native plants

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 Modern grocery storage.
superstitions
Killed for human food by Gypsy tribe community.

Initiatives taken by UNCS

Creation of awareness among women and children on sparrow conservation.

Nest boxes (surrogate cavity) and a feeder with a right kind of grain in it were
distributed among people interested.
Encouraged people to take up plantation of native species of plants to help build a
sparrow-friendly habitat and to espouse insect population.
Encouraged people to set up a water bath, especially in summer, to allow the birds
to drink and bath.
The sparrows have started to nest and breed in the boxes erected in the houses.
Celebrating every march 20 as world sparrow day in the schools.

World sparrow day is celebrated every year on 20th of March by UNCS.The rationale for
celebrating world sparrow day is not only to commemorate the event for a day, but also to
use it as a platform to highlight the need to conserve sparrows as well as urban biodiversity.

DFO issued sparrow box to the college students on the eve of sparrow day celebration.

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 IMPACT:

Due to the effort of UNCS the restoration of house sparrows in Kothagiri areas are on
the rise. We can see lots of sparrows in and around the houses now. They are nesting and
breeding in the safe environment provided. The chirping rhythmic sounds produced by
sparrows induce peace and happiness to the human mind. The presence of house sparrows
is believed to be auspicious and brings in prosperity to home. The house sparrow is, in a
sense, an ambassador to the common bird species. The hope is that the conservation of the
house sparrows and its habitat will ultimately help in saving much of the village common
biodiversity, which shares the habitat of the house sparrows. It may lead to initiation of
similar conservation practices by people in other plants and animals with its wide impact on
biodiversity conservation.

Sparrows breeding in the UNCS box at Onnatty