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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Delhi govt goofs up on World Sparrow Day

Delhi govt goofs up on World Sparrow Day

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published Published on Mar 21, 2013   modified Modified on Mar 21, 2013
-The Times of India

Sparrows have become so rare in the capital that it seems not even Delhi's environment department can identify it correctly. The department's ad campaign on the occasion of World Sparrow Day on Wednesday carried a picture of the Eurasian tree sparrow, which is neither found in Delhi nor in most parts of India, mistaking it for the house sparrow.

It was an ironic reflection of the plight of the sparrow, declared Delhi's state bird last year when it had all but disappeared from the city.

The matter would have escaped attention but for the massive number of bird lovers in Delhi.

Some furious bird lovers called the environment department while a discussion was launched on social networking sites.

"How can anyone take the government's initiative to save the sparrow seriously when it makes such errors? The environment department is doing a lot of work but then their actions get negated with such errors. Calling it a state bird seems like a symbolic gesture," said Aarti Singh, a resident of Vasant Vihar.

The picture had been downloaded from the internet and while the environment department officials accepted the error, they said the idea was to depict a sparrow which is what the advertisement did.

Sparrow sightings rarer now

"For a large part of the public, the bird in the ad is a sparrow and it becomes immaterial that it is the wrong species. We managed to get the message across. The difference would have been evident to only a trained eye. However, such an error should not happened and will recur in future," said an official.

The house sparrow is found in almost all parts of the world. The females are coloured pale brown and grey while males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. It is known to have live in human habitats for millennia. The Eurasian tree sparrow is roughly 10% smaller than the house sparrow. The adult bird has a rich chestnut crown and nape and a kidney-shaped black ear patch on each pure white cheek. The brown wings have two distinct narrow white bars. This bird breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and southeast Asia and is found in a very small part of the eastern coast in India.

Meanwhile, another study has confirmed the continuing decline of the sparrow in Delhi. A report titled 'House Sparrow Project' by Dr Asad Rehmani and Karthik K of the Bombay Natural History Society shows a higher number of people failed to sight any sparrow in Delhi NCR between 2005 and 2012, as compared to the period before 2005.

"Before 2005, most reports of sightings were highest for flocks of more than 30 birds. In 2005-2012, reports of such flock numbers were reported the least. This clearly shows a trend of decline in Delhi NCR, especially with regard to large house sparrow populations," said Karthik.

The report also says that the percentage of records for no nest sightings is higher between 2005 and 2012 compared to before 2005 while the percentage of records for occasional and frequent nest sightings is lower between 2005 and 2012 - again indicating a decline in the nesting space for these birds.

The study also found that the absence of house sparrows is more pronounced in the city centre as compared to rural areas.

Delhi government officials say that since the city adopted the sparrow as its state bird in October 2012, several initiatives have been launched to increase awareness among residents. "We have sent sensitization posters to RWAs and schools and distributed some nests among schools. All schools have also been asked to have sparrow corners. Many of them, under eco-club activities, are carrying out their own sensitization programmes," said a senior official of the environment department.

However, many feel that as Delhi's state bird, the sparrow needs more active help from the government to revive its falling numbers.


The Times of India, 21 May, 2013, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-govt-goofs-up-on-World-Sparrow-Day/articleshow/19099514.cms


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