It comes to something when I do a post about the humble House Sparrow and how 'excited' I was when this male came to the feeders in the back garden, but it just goes to show the sorry state that this little bird is in.
This bird used to be everywhere, in every garden of every house in the land. Not any more. Young sparrows are not surviving to adulthood, which has caused a decline of over 50% in the last 25 years. Reasons for this are not fully known, although there are various theories. Cat predation, Sparrowhawk predation, autumn sown crops leading to lack of stubble in the winter, have all been blamed, even traffic pollution in towns and cities which may affect the invertebrate population on which the young feed. One thing is for sure, if this decline is not addressed our little 'cockney' Sparrow will soon be a thing of the past.
Well done on your visitor John. It is such a pleasure when they do appear in the garden nowadays. As you say they used to be so common, now it is quite an event when one arrives. I have been thrilled to see a few more in my garden in the last year or so but nothing like they used to be.
ReplyDeleteI think as well as the reasons you mention, people are so much more particular about their properties these days. We used to have hordes of them nesting in the loft but eventually had to have some repairs and there was no way of them getting in. The wood is starting to go again now and I think we may have had at least a pair in there this year :-) of course with so many people having plastic fascias now it's impossible for them!
Thanks Jan,
DeleteIt is amazing how such simple things become so thrilling.
Apparently breeding has increased in the last 40 years, it is really the fall in young birds reaching adulthood that is causing the fall in numbers. I am sure that the 'tidying' up of houses and UPVC fascias etc have some effect on the bird. A report in 1987 from a Bedfordshire village showed that 30% of mortality was due to cats. I don't think we will find out the true cause for a while.
Just popped back to say thank you for sparking such a lively discussion John. It was interesting to read all the comments and your knowledgeable replies. Let's hope the House Sparrow will eventually find its way back to the numbers we used to see,
DeleteThanks Jan, let's hope the sparrow makes a comeback, but I have now read that the starling is disappearing in huge numbers, 40 million have just vanished in Europe in the last year!?
DeleteJ
I pay close attention when I walk through my village and it seems that the only gardens where this little fellow is thriving are those that are very untidy and overgrown. They also seem to like the allotments, but not the manicured lawns, weed-free flower beds and gravel driveways which is what most of the gardens consist of.
ReplyDeleteHi John,
DeleteI think some of the problem is the fact that a lot of houses don't have 'gardens' any more. A lot of people have had their front lawn block-paved over and also are very keen on insecticides and herbicides, neither of which help invertebrate populations which crosses over to sparrow populations.
J
one of the reasons the house sparrow is disappearing is because we are filling in every hole in our houses all the old buildings are being renovated to todays specifications of what seems to stop us living in droughts, not to worry the birds in my garden have almost doubled this year do not forget the sparrow is one of our birds who can and do have up to three clutches in the year I have had young in my garden since last march. and today there are a few young ones on the feeder being fed by the parents.here you can see a youngster trying to get a beak full from a juvenile blackbird.
ReplyDeletehttp://wildaboutwales.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/back-again.html
updated the blog on the sparrow did not realise its on the RSPB red list.
ReplyDeleteYes, holes are blocked up and places tidied, but as I said in my reply to Jan (above), the birds are still breeding at a frenetic rate (as you have seen in your garden), the young are just not making it to adulthood for whatever reason.
DeleteIt's shocking that such a common bird can be placed on the red list by the RSPB.
J
That's really sad to hear about the sparrow. I had no idea. Your little guy is quite charming anyway. I love that quote you have at the side by Chief Seattle, I remember it, but seeing it is good.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
DeleteVery shocking and sobering, hopefully something can be done to halt the decline.
The quote sort of sums up my opinions, so I thought that I would put it on my side bar.
J
I'll have to 'export' a few of mine John. They have been breeding prolifically here.
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome to John! :)
DeleteMy Mum and Dad have large numbers coming into their garden, but a friend of theirs who lives a few doors away has none, the population is that disjointed now.
J
Its shocking how their numbers have reduced over the years John.
ReplyDeleteThe days of seeing big flocks on a hedgerow are long gone.
It is very shocking Roy. They are still far from rare, but the large flocks, as you say, are a thing of the past.
DeleteJ
We took them for granted but now it's areal joy to see a sparrow. Have seen only one in our garden this year!
ReplyDeleteClick here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi Bazza,
DeleteAs with all things we take for granted, we don't realise it until they are gone!
J