Sparrows to have homes across State

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,  
The Hindu, November 7, 2014

Rehabilitating house sparrows is one of the unusual schemes included in the State government’s Mission 676 programme. Pollution has led to a decline in the number of sparrows, prompting the Department of Forests to implement a State-wide nesting project on the lines of a rehabilitation scheme carried out in Connemara Market at Palayam here. Four or five towns or market areas in each district will be identified for implementing the scheme.

This project entails active public participation as well. In Palayam, around 50 wooden nests were placed on the World Sparrow Day in March last year, the maintenance of which is carried out by local vendors there.

It was in 2011 that an organisation called the Writers’ and Nature Lovers Forum launched the initiative. They discovered that there was a marked improvement in the population of sparrows since the setting up of wooden nests for them.

A survey conducted earlier this year by WWF-Kerala revealed surprisingly fewer numbers of sparrows at places such as the Central railway station and KSRTC bus terminal. The Palayam and Connemara markets fared relatively better. The survey identified harmful radiation caused by mobile towers as one of the key factors that led to the decline in sparrow population. The survey also found that birds do not have direct access to food grains since there are fewer wholesale markets in cities. Moreover, the replacement of sloping tiled-roof structures by concrete buildings has meant fewer nooks for the house sparrows to nest.

At Palayam market, the increase in house sparrow population has also served well for those who run eateries around the market as these birds feed on insects and worms. As the Forest Department plans to roll out this programme on a larger scale, they are seeking the support of individuals and NGOs interested in contributing the wooden nests. For details call Social Forestry Department’s Assistant Forest Conservator on 94479 79135 or the Assistant Forest Conservator on 94479 79156.