From Common Sight to Rare Find: The Disappearing House Sparrows of Our Cities

At a recent bird-watching event in Hyderabad, 12-year-old Suraj, who accompanied his dad, said he had never seen a house sparrow in his life, reflecting the sentiments of 90% of his peers.

This statement does not come as a surprise because the species is indeed fast disappearing. A bird that was so common in the 70s and 80s, building nests in ventilators and every possible crevice found in a building, is no longer common and visible.

With governments and NGOs constantly raising awareness through the electronic media about the need to conserve wildlife, it is surprising that the diminutive house sparrow, which is also a wild bird and protected under the Wildlife Act of India, just like the tiger and elephant, fails to grab the attention of wildlife officials.

In all probability, a child studying in a city would have never seen a tiger except at the zoos. So telling an urban dweller to save the tiger is a worthless exercise, except may be to raise funds.


It is important to create awareness that it is also important to conserve the flora and fauna found in your backyard. Conservation need not always be forest-centric.

The sparrow is not found in the jungles but has evolved with humans and is always found in and around human habitations. So their dwindling numbers raise the question whether we are indeed responsible for its decline.

A combination of factors such as the modification in architecture, the radiation emitted by mobile towers, excessive use of pesticides, a gradual decrease in nesting sites and food sources, and the replacement of native plants by exotic varieties at homes and local parks has contributed to its decline.


Isn't it time then for citizens to wake up and rise for the sparrows? World Sparrow Day is observed every year on March 20th. Initiated by Nashik-based conservation group Nature Forever Society, the day is not an event to celebrate just the sparrow but the common biodiversity around us.

Environmentalist and founder of Nature Forever Society Mohammad Dilawar highlighted the importance of mapping the bird population to ensure its conservation. “The gradual decline in bird population may go unnoticed to a large extent until we have realized that an entire species has vanished right under our nose. This has been the case with the vulture, which is now a critically endangered species,” said Dilawar.

You and I can make a difference to this planet. Let's take some time out and enjoy the bounties of nature and help create more bird and nature-friendly environments in our immediate surroundings.