VIJAYAWADA: Sparrows, once an integral part of households and farms, are now on the brink of extinction due to rapid urbanisation, air pollution, radiation from cell towers, and habitat loss. On World Sparrow Day, observed every year on March 20, conservationists stress the urgent need to protect these tiny birds that play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.
Artist Sphoorthi Srinivas of Vijayawada, known as Sparrow Srinivas, has been working for over a decade to protect the endangered sparrow with his campaign Picchukanu Chesukundama Macchika (Let’s make a sparrow tame). Through art and awareness programmes, he has led the Save Sparrow movement, sensitising children and the public.
Speaking to TNIE, Srininvas said, “In the past, families would hang sorghum stalks and other grains in their courtyards to feed sparrows, allowing them to thrive and contribute to pest control in agricultural fields. However, the rise of apartment culture, deforestation, and excessive use of pesticides in farming have drastically reduced their numbers.”
Experts said sparrows are caught in kite strings and face reproductive issues due to environmental pollutants. Srininvas lamented “As villages disappear and cities turn into concrete jungles, sparrow habitats shrink.”
To support their survival, he has installed more than 4,000 birdhouses over the past decade at his own expense. “It’s rewarding to see sparrows nesting and raising young in them,” he said. With an average lifespan of just three years, sparrows are delicate yet resilient.
Their decline signals a larger crisis that requires immediate attention. Conservation efforts, like planting native trees, reducing radiation pollution, and promoting sparrow-friendly urban planning, are crucial for their survival.
“The inseparable bond between humans and sparrows is fading. These birds, often depicted in folklore, songs, and proverbs, are now on the endangered species list,” said Srinivas. He explained the importance of restoring their habitat by providing nesting spaces and avoiding harmful chemicals in food production.