Birds worth – One for sparrow
Once a familiar sight at our houses, sparrows are now rarely seen in our neighbourhoods. This World Sparrow Day, we present a silver living – photographs of these tiny birds clicked at various locations in India.
Sparrows (Passer domesticus) are small brown birds recognised by their fuzzy bodies and a conical, stout bill. Their backs bear buff, black and brown stripes (Photo by Chandra Mohan)
Sparrows come in various shapes and sizes, and are identified as house sparrows, Eurasian tree sparrows and white-throated sparrows (Photo by Malaika Mathew Chawla)
These small birds typically show behavioural patterns associated with independence and adventure, as well as commitment, love and humility (Photo by Nikhil Thakur)
The sighting of house sparrows has been declining in India, primarily due to increasing urbanisation, deforestation, use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides, and construction activities. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) included it in its Red list of “endangered” species in 2002 due to its reducing numbers (Photo by Arvind Dohre)
According to a study by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the population of house sparrows has come down by 70 per cent in some states of India (Photo by Chetan Umakant Chounde )
World Sparrow Day was first observed on 20 March 2010, and since then it has been celebrated every year with vigour to boost awareness about the need for their protection and conservation (Photo by Rewa Solanki )
The sparrow population can be increased by public participation in large numbers through steps such as setting up nest boxes, bird feeders and water bowls in urban spaces (Photo by Kiran Adamche)
The lead image at the top shows a tiny sparrow resting peacefully on a tree branch captured in Sakri Village, Mandla district, MP. (Photo by Kiran Admache)