New Delhi, March 19 (). From the quiet morning of villages to the hustle and bustle of cities, the sweet chirping of small sparrows used to echo everywhere. These little birds used to come to the courtyards and rooftops of houses without invitation, and their flocks used to create memorable moments, but today they have almost disappeared from our surroundings. Sparrows have now become rare in many areas. To save them and spread awareness, World Sparrow Day is celebrated every year on 20 March.
World Sparrow Day was started in the year 2010 by the bird conservation organization ‘Nature Forever’. Now it is celebrated in more than 50 countries. Its main objective is to inform people about the rapidly decreasing number of sparrows and take steps for their conservation. In 2012, Delhi declared the sparrow as its state bird, further strengthening the issue. Sparrows are small in appearance but very important. These are very essential for the ecosystem. By eating insects, they control their population, which benefits crops and the environment. It also helps in pollination and seed spreading. They play a big role in maintaining biodiversity in both rural and urban places.
In India, sparrows are not just birds but a part of the culture. It is called ‘Goraiya’ in Hindi, ‘Kuruvi’ in Tamil, and ‘Chiriya’ in Urdu. They have been spreading happiness in homes for generations, but the number of sparrows is decreasing alarmingly. There are many reasons behind this, such as urbanization, modern buildings not providing nesting space, and old walls and roofs being replaced by concrete. Second is pollution; toxic substances released from unleaded petrol kill the insects on which sparrows depend for food.
Due to excessive use of pesticides in farming, insects have reduced due to which sparrows do not get food. Apart from this, the increasing number of crows and cats, lack of green spaces and change in lifestyle are also included. Despite these challenges, many efforts are being made to save the little bird. The Save the Sparrow campaign is being run by Jagat Kinkhabwala, which received the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.
Chennai’s Koodugal Trust engaged school children to build over 10,000 nests from 2020-2024, thereby increasing the sparrow population locally. The Early Bird program in Mysore, Karnataka connects children with birds – including a library, activity kits and bird watching trips to villages. Common people can also take small steps to save small birds, like keeping food grains in their homes, planting trees, using less pesticides and creating safe places for nesting.
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MT/DKP