World Sparrow Day 2025: How you can help save these vanishing birds
World Sparrow Day is celebrated every year on March 20 to raise awareness about these birds, which play a crucial role in the ecosystem. The day is observed worldwide to protect the small yet ecologically vital bird.
When we were kids, many of us read about sparrows and woke up to the chirping of these small birds who were once an inseparable part of our surroundings.
The small birds that used to greet us every morning in our childhood are now nowhere to be seen due to rapid urbanisation and destruction of natural habitats, including trees, shrubs, and open spaces where sparrows once nested and foraged.
These winged companions are known for building nests in holes, roofs and crevices in traditional house structures. Modern houses offer little to no nesting spaces to these tiny birds to call it their home as well. Over the years, the population of these tiny birds has declined in almost all parts of the country.
The growing use of packaged food is one of the reasons for the decline in their population. With the tin food, nothing is spilled on the ground unlike olden days when the women of the household would sieve grains in the open areas of their house, leaving plenty of food for these birds.
Bird watchers say the hope is not lost yet as we can still bring back these winged companions to our urban dwellings. They suggest that we should hang artificial bird nests in balconies and put out a pot of water and food for the winged visitors. Since sparrows breed multiple times a year, placing artificial nests outside our homes can help protect them from heat and predators.
