House sparrow population dips in city

Summer heat and the unavailability of food have led to a considerable decline in house sparrows’ population in Thiruvananthapuram city and its suburbs.

The glum scenario came to the fore during a weeklong survey conducted by citybased Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), a nongovernmental organisation involved in nature conservation, in the runup to World Sparrow Day that was observed on Wednesday.

Teams comprising bird enthusiasts scouted the traditional pockets of the bird in places, including Palayam, Kazhakuttom, Vallakadavu, Beemapally, Vettucaud, Kaniyapuram,

Pothencode, Nedumangad, and Vizhinjam.

None found

To their dismay, they found no house sparrow in Shangumughom and Vettucaud, which used to be a hotspot of the species, especially near the St. Thomas Community Centre, vicinity of the Madre De Deus church and the commercial areas.

The surveyors were able to spot only 16 birds at Sulaiman Street which also used to be considered a house sparrow pocket in the city. The area had reported the presence of 36 house sparrows last year.

Nonetheless, some of the other coastal areas witnessed healthy populations. As many as 78 birds were spotted at Beemapally. Despite marking a slight fall compared to last year’s count of 83, the sizeable presence instilled hope of a stable population.

Eight birds were observed in the main commercial area of Nedumangad. Another traditional bastion of house sparrows, Connemara market, reported the presence of 33 birds.

The market was regarded as the hub of sparrow population in the city with counts as high as 148 in 2012 and 101 in 2013. As in the previous years, the northern segments of the city, including Kazhakuttom, Kaniyapuram, and Pothencode, presented a barren picture with no sparrows observed. Sreekaryam, Medical College, and Pettah areas too recorded no sparrows.

According to TNHS research associate Kalesh Sadasivan, the primary reason for a fall in bird count in certain pockets is due to the dearth of food materials. Habitat loss is also believed to be another reason.

The oppressive heat conditions are presumed to have led to the total withdrawal of the species from traditional pockets including Vettucaud, Attakulangara, and Valiyathura.

House sparrow