Wings of hope, at last - House sparrow may yet be saved from extinction

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Wings of hope, at last

Editorial
The Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Thursday, August 16, 2012

House sparrow may yet be saved from extinction

The once ubiquitous chidiya has finally got its due.
Though the recognition has been rather late in coming,
but the Delhi Government's decision to accord the humble
house sparrow the status of a State Bird is a welcome
move.

For generations, house sparrows have added a child-like
freshness with their presence, chirruping and flapping
their wings at the window sill, eagerly pecking at
morsels that lay scattered or making a well-cushioned
nest in some nook and cranny of the house. But that is a
narrative fit for nostalgia. No more does the sparrow
inhabit our households or cheer us with its presence.
Strident as it sounds, but the onus of the tiny bird's
vanishing act is largely on the city's changing landscape
and our habits that have spurred its departure from our
urban environs. The tiny avian was perhaps never really
an issue of concern to us. We took its diminutive
presence in our households for granted. May be that is
why its gradual disappearance has gone unnoticed. The
fact that sparrows don't feature prominently in
environment surveys published by the Government reminds
one of the birds’ silent journey into oblivion. Experts
say that even in 2006, the dominant bird species in Delhi
were the house sparrow, house crow, rock pigeon and the
common myna. But by 2008, all these birds had been
sidelined by the rock pigeon, which seems to have
appropriated every imaginable space in the Capital's
landscape. The shift in the numbers and species has been
largely due to the severe changes in the urban ecosystem,
the growing concrete jungle, disappearing kitchen
gardens, increased use of pesticides in farmlands and
radiation from cell phone towers. Delhi is perhaps one of
the greenest cities in the world, but that has not been a
compelling enough reason for the sparrow to continue to
share our urban living space. This is a scary prospect as
our own well-being is inextricably linked to the
enlivening presence of the sparrow. Experts warn that its
disappearance may cause havoc to the entire ecosystem.
Equally worrying is the fact that the birds may never
return unless some concrete steps are taken now.
Conservation efforts till now have only been directed
towards the tiger, the rhino and some rare and uncommon
birds. Delhi's recognition to a common bird will
hopefully bring the focus on not just the sparrow but all
other fauna that is falling prey to human depredation.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's call to citizens to
monitor the house sparrow and other common birds, and
help pitch in to make the environment more conducive
needs to be heeded. As Delhi's State Bird, the sparrow
has special rights now. The Government's elaborate
conservation campaign ‘Rise of the Sparrows' will
hopefully go a long way in providing impetus to efforts
by NGOs and ornithologists who were until now fighting a
losing battle.

More at:

http://dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/52217-wings-of-hope-at-last.html

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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