World Sparrow Day: Bringing back our childhood sound of music

Conservationists in the city are trying to raise the cause of the House Sparrow, the state bird of Delhi, which currently sits on the red list of the endangered species of IUCN.

Once ubiquitous to our surroundings, the chirping of the humble house sparrow, the state bird of Delhi, has gone quieter in the last few decades. As we observe World Sparrow Day (March 20), bird lovers in the capital seek to raise awareness about the plight of our winged companion, which currently sits on the red list of the endangered species of The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Conservationists in the Capital are trying to raise awareness about protecting House Sparrows (photo for representational purposes). (Photo: Shyam Sharma/HT)

Concerned with the declining population of sparrows, environmentalist Rakesh Khatri has been making nests for the critters for over a decade now. “When I was growing up, sparrows would make their nests on balconies, near our windows, but now in this concrete jungle, they have no place to go. We have robbed them of their houses, without providing any alternatives,” he rues.

Environmentalist Rakesh Khatri has been making nests for sparrows for over a decade now.

To educate the younger generation about sparrow conservation, he founded Eco Roots Foundation, and conducts workshops in schools, corporates and Residential Welfare Associations, where he teaches them how to build hand-made nests. “I have built over 1,25,000 bird houses across India, and make them from bamboo sticks, threads, jute, and recycled tetra packs. It doesn’t take much time to care for these birds, who belong here as much as we do,” Khatri adds.

Vivek Saxena, country representative, IUCN-India, concurs with Khatri and says, “Urbanisation, pollution, less vegetative cover and lack of food had led to a decline in the number of sparrows. We need to ensure our ecosystem can support these birds by providing for nests, breeding spaces, and they are provided with a suitable habitat to coexist with humans in the same area.”

Bird lovers say simple handmade nests can help restore lost habitats for the sparrow.

Delhi-based Nin Taneja, an artist and avian photographer, has been working to sensitise Delhiites about building a hospitable environment for the embattled bird. “Hearing birds chirp in your balcony is a therapeutic experience. I started building a habitat for sparrows by planting native plants like pomegranate on which they like to feed, apart from putting out water and fruit peels. It is important to understand that sparrows are found in patches; so I have been researching on the areas they are found in, and have been providing people in that area with nest boxes, apart from making informative videos on social media” says Taneja, who works with Nature Forever Society, a conservationist group whose efforts had led to declaration of house sparrow as the state bird of Delhi in 2012.

Jasleen Chadha, founder of NGO Jeev Shakti Foundation, has been putting out cemented bowls of water for sparrows in parks and localities. “With summers upon us, it is important to make sure these birds have access to clean drinking water. Each year we rescue scores of birds that suffer from dehydration. I ask people to invest in simple, doable and affordable things like putting nesting boxes and food bowls in their balconies. Sparrows give me a sense of nostalgia about my childhood, and we must work to bring their sounds back to our city,” she says.

Author tweets @bhagat_mallika

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