Nature Notebook

Chattering Sparrows

What more appropriate species of wildlife can sum up June’s 30 Days Wild campaign that the humble house sparrow?

KEEP UP TO DATE

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust @WorcsWT t worcestershirewildlifetrust G worcswildlifetrust.co.uk w 30 Days Wild is back and this year we’re encouraging everybody to get to know the wildlife on their doorstep. The annual campaign is run by Wildlife Trusts up and down the country and challenges everyone to do something wild on every day of June. It kicks off on 1st June with a Big Wild Breakfast where we’re suggesting that you take your meal outside and take a closer look at what you can spot while you’re out there.

For many people the sight or sound of house sparrows won’t be far away. Or at least that used to be the case. Since 1977 the UK has seen a 71% decline in house sparrow populations and that huge drop in numbers has been reflected here in Worcestershire. House sparrows were once so common that people who recorded birds rarely even mentioned them before 1980; since then, their absence has been more noticeable than their presence. We need your help to get a true picture of where our house sparrows are across the whole county.

Just like us, sparrows are sociable creatures and, although they have a strict hierarchy, they nest colonially; sparrow nest boxes are known as terraces because they have holes and spaces for at least three pairs of birds. In Worcestershire house sparrows are found close to where we live and are especially partial to gardens that have good connectivity to other gardens or the countryside via hedgerows or trees and large shrubs. They’re not particularly intrepid explorers, usually staying within the same 2km during their entire lives – this means that if a population is lost in one location, a new population is unlikely to move in for a long time.

Our garden bird feeders help to support these primarily seed-feeding birds. Take a closer look at their chunky beaks and you’ll see that they’re great for crunching through the outer shells of seeds that birds with more delicate beaks may struggle with. Like all birds, though, as well as spending time in your garden they’ll also search more natural habitats to find food – scrubby fields, hedgerows, dense ivy and bramble patches.

Most of the house sparrows that were recorded by people across Worcestershire in 2020 were found on our urban fringes and in suburban areas. There were far fewer records from older and smaller villages where we’d expect habitat to be good – whether that’s suitable eaves under which to nest or hedgerows connecting gardens and the countryside. Of course, records only reflect where recorders are and not necessarily where the birds are, which is where you come in. As well as signing up for 30 Days Wild www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild, having your Big Wild Breakfast and going wild for a whole month, please also keep a lookout for house sparrows. If you see some, please take a photograph (a mobile phone snapshot will do) and report them via the short form on our website www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/wildlife-sightings - you’ll help to contribute important information about how are house sparrows are doing. n