World Sparrow Day ( 20th march )

[Lakhan Keswani]

Those days are still fresh in my mind when sparrows used to take husk
from houses made from dried grass roof tops. After hours of hard work
they used to make nests for their shelters and save their chicks from
predator. They used to collect their food smartly from drying wheat
and rice which was usually kept in Verandah and roof tops in direct
sun light.

Now we can not hear their chirping sound early morning as natural
alarm clock to wake us up. It is a matter of concern that sparrows are
diminishing every year very fast due to man made un-echo friendly
houses and plantation techniques.

Sparrows, we call them Gauraiya in India, are disappearing very fast
and at a regular rate .They are diminishing at a much faster rate
than expected earlier, more than 2-3 percent every year. Compared to
our child hood when we could see them in plenty especially in Summer
looking for food and water in veranda or roof top of our houses .Now
we can not see single of them outside our houses chirping ,hunting
for food and water .

Sparrows are dying fast .Some of the reasons are as follows

You may consider not so expensive initiatives to save them in three
simple steps. By providing proper shelter, water and Feed as
explained.

Food:

They eat insects and worms from various plants as one of their
feed .Now a days fertilizers are chemically treated and have
pesticides in them. Pesticides do not let insect and living organism
grow in plants and when sparrows tries to eat dead or pesticide
infected insects they die .These fertilizer are especially harmful to
two to three old chicks which immediately die after eating insects.
These way toxic plants stop their family growing in natural way.

As native plant species better withstand tropical requirements and do
not require fertilizers, are a good source of feed for sparrows as
compared with exotics plants. Exotic plants need fertilizers and mimic
their previous environment for them to blossom.

As native plants are almost being pushed out of echo system by exotic
plants .This is endangering the farmland birds like sparrows and
making them disappear fast. Encouraging native plantation is the key
to balance echo system and save Sparrows as well.

Keep barley and broken rice pieces on open place. Broken rice is easy
for them to carry with them .Please do not keep left over and stale
food for them to eat.


Shelter:


Existing house designs are not conducive to their liking and living
patterns .Modern day houses and flats do not provide comfortable space
for them to build nest to raise and protect their family.

Avoid cutting down plant hedges i.e. the places where sparrows could
preen, rest and hide from predators like Crows, lizard and eagles etc.

Securely hang a strong shoe box outside your balcony on the top left
or right corner of your house (Alternately you can buy a nested house
for them). Punch a circular Hole on one side of the box. Hole should
be sufficient enough to let one or two sparrow enter the box. .

Water:

Place one big bowl full of water on the balcony /roof top on a clearly
visible place so that thirsty sparrows sees them easily in scorch
summer and even take bath easily in it..

Change and put drinkable quality water on daily basis.

They have the natural urge and affinity to return to same places where
they get their feed and shelter. So do not disappoint them and make it
regular habit to feed them effortlessly as they habitually fly miles
to get food from your place every few days in summer and other
seasons.

Do not use chemicals in your kitchen garden or earthen pots in your
balcony as sparrows might lift insects from them to feed their
chickens.

If you see a settled or building up nest in your house, do not disturb
it .Do not get hassled to remove them as they are harmless and
promoters of our Echo System. Even do not tell others about it .This
way you respect their privacy and safety

Posted on World Sparrow day on 20th march 2011.