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Young World
Where are you, Sparrow?
T. MURUGAVEL
Have the common sparrows made a comeback?
There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow, said Hamlet. This quote stresses what the decline of the sparrow population has to indicate to humans.
I have always been disturbed by the gradual decline in sparrow population in our cities. House sparrow, which has been a ubiquitous bird, is slowly becoming uncommon. Feeding on seeds, grains, and other food items, sparrows build nests in nooks and corners of the house.
The decline in the sparrow population seems to be a universal phenomenon. Big cities like London have already lost their sparrows. According to Denis Summers-Smith, a world expert on sparrows, the population decline was at its peak between 1970 and 1980 during which the automobiles switched over to unleaded petrol from leaded petrol. And MTBE — Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether — an anti knocking agent, which along with combustion by-products, spewed from vehicles kill small insects that sparrows depend on for feeding their chicks during their first three days.
In our country, only in the recent past has unleaded fuel replaced leaded petrol. Nevertheless, Dave Hole, an ornithologist at Edward Grey Institute of Oxford University believes that the sparrows went where the grain was — a fundamental evolutionary rule. The grains are no longer transported in jute sacks and in cattle-driven wagons. This stopped the trail of spilled grains. Another most accepted factor is the change in lifestyle of people. We have replaced tiled houses with concrete apartments. The traditional type of buildings always provided the sparrows with place for their nests.
A random population survey conducted by a Chennai-based Trust for Restoration of Ecology and Environment has revealed that in the past few months, the number of sparrows seems to have increased in certain parts of the city. In particular, Ambattur, Avadi, Perambur, Ayanavaram, Parrys, Choolaimedu, T Nagar, Aminjikarai, Koyambedu, Porur, Thiruvanmiyur, Tambaram, Chromepet and Poonamallee have a relatively decent population of sparrows. Conversely, the sparrows give the impression that they have abandoned the concrete structures, although they are found in sections where huts and thatched roof houses exist.
However, a lot more study needs to be done to understand whether the apparent rise in sparrow population is an evidence of their comeback.
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