Survey Confirms Sparrow Decline in Cities

Kolkata: A survey has confirmed for the first time the widely believed theory that rapid urbanisation has taken a toll on the population of tiny sparrows in the cities all over the country.

The Bombay Natural History Society with support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests had launched an online survey last year inviting inputs from bird lovers to document the decline in population and distribution of sparrows.

Titled "Citizen Sparrow", the survey found that the once-ubiquitous sparrows are now seen in fewer places than in 2005.

"Where they are still found, the numbers are lower than earlier observed and fewer nests are seen as well. This suggests sparrows have indeed declined and the low number of nests might mean that they are continuing to decline," said the report.

Sparrows are the most widely-distributed birds in the world. They nest in urban or rural settings wherever they find human habitation.

Stating that factors such as types of human dwellings, eating and living habits of the people and land-use could be impacting the availability of shelter and food for the sparrows, the report indicates that the lifestyles of people of rural and semi-urban areas seem to be more conducive for the survival of the birds.

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