Lockdown helped sparrow population, but needs more work: Birdwatchers

According to Sadhna Rajkumar, popularly dubbed as the ‘Sparrow Queen’ and founder of the Sparrow Saviours, a local group dedicated to protecting and preserving sparrow habitats in the city, the number of sightings of sparrows has increased over the past year, with an increased number of sightings across the city.

“Firstly, we have noticed that the sparrow mating habits have returned to normal from only twice a year earlier. Secondly, we have noticed a migration of sparrows within the city, with sparrows being sighted in new areas like RA Puram, rather than the usual areas like Mylapore, Perambur and Tondriapet. I attribute this to the decreased sound and air pollution in the city during the initial few months of the lockdown,” said Rajkumar.

However, a common issue among urban spaces is the lack of green cover to facilitate the expansion of any bird population, and this continues in Chennai, said bio conservationist Vikas Madhav. This has led to an expansion in population in areas with more tree cover like Tiruvanmiyur, but no development in more urban areas of north Chennai.

“However, public awareness of their immediate environment has increased significantly. While more bird species have come out during the shutdown, people have been able to take the time to notice them and provide them with food or water. This is a positive sign in the long-term, as this consciousness will help the bird populations in localities,” he said.

Rajkumar stated that more awareness is necessary to promote the sparrow population, specifically related to the provision of shelter. In this regard, she stated that Sparrow Saviours can be contacted to set up clay nests for sparrows across the city.