Sparrow Depletion

[ian d]

Hi, I recorded a maximum of 4-House Sparrows in our garden whilst completing the recent RSPB bird count. The total should have been more (5 last year), but there is a very active local Sparrowhawk, and it visited the garden twice during the morning when I did the count.

I also read the theory (in the papers etc) this week that patios and evergreen shrubs are responsible for the decline - well, I have both, but also deciduous trees and shrubs, a bird table adjacent to the patio, and a feeder in one of the evergreen trees. So I'm not sure that anyone has yet hit the nail on the head for the true cause of the decline - it certainly doesn't seem to be happening here.

[ian d]

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's hard to believe; the total area covered with patios must ber pretty small, and as for evergreens, every town I've lived in has had loads of laurels and rhododendrons which probably go back to Victorian times.

[moonbells]

Where I grew up, there used to be hundreds of sparrows. My dad's bird table used to be covered with them every morning, waiting for him to put the seed out. Then they vanished. His theory is that they started to go from our particular garden when the dog died, as the garden was then safe haven for cats again, but they just aren't _anywhere_ round there. You can't hear the cheeping, and this is 100yd from open fields, so I think it's a larger problem.  Now sparrowhawks I can believe. One family needs 10 young birds a day so the number of young sparrows remaining to breed the following year would plummet if there's a hawk nest nearby.  And sparrowhawks are a protected species, so we can't do much to dissuade them!!

moonbells

[Obelixx]

Funnily enough sparrow numbers are down in Belgian towns and it is thought that general pollution and/or garden chemicals may be the culprits.   I have a growing colony of regulars who live here.  My garden is in the middle of the countryside and pesticide use has been reduced in recent years.  I also have a long set of eaves where they can nest in peace and I feed them all year round.   Over the road at the equestrian farm, there is also a large population with safe nesting sites in the farm buildings, no chemicals on the horse pastures and plenty of fallen grain under the horse-feed silo which is full of oats and barley.

We have 3 cats but very few casualties as I feed the birds up high, out of reach and we also have sparrowhawks, buzzards and kestrels.  They do occasionally swoop but there is good shrub cover near the feeders and plenty of birds on lookout duty so again, no casualties that I have seen so far.   The horsey farm has loads of cats on mouse and rat duty but still manages to keep its sparrows and blackbirds and red squirrels........

[grawrc]

Obbelix it sounds like Le paradis terrestre chez toi!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't believe the sparrowhawk theory as house sparrows are typically a bird of urban areas, where there aren't that many sparrowhawks. They'd get some while they were out on the fields, but that's typically in winter.

[Obelixx]

HI Grawc - It's pretty good except that winter can seem to last for ever.  We had snow again on Sunday and it's forecast to persist down tomorrow with strong winds to add to the fun till the weekend.   I have two garden activities at the moment - trips to the compost heaps when the kitchen compost pot is full and trips to the bird feeders. 

This is the one time of year I have respectable nails.   I'm going to have to sneak out and see if I can find one of those wee plastic greenhouse/cold frames so I can sow some seeds or take some cuttings or something.

[CotswoldLass]

We certainly don't have a sparrow shortage here....despite two patios! We do back onto open farmland and have lots of trees though, but you can see sparrows all round the village, even foraging along the high street. They don't fly away when you walk past.

[Dan 2]

Well, on the whole it seems that the humble sparrow hasn't lost a place in our hearts and gardens! Keep in gardening and birdwatching! Dan :-)

p.s- Bill Oddie is on tonight at 8:00!

[fluffygrue]

I love my little sparrows - we have lots of them, and they're so cheerful. Especially when they bathe in the pond's waterfall.

I still can't really tell the difference between dunnocks and female house sparrows, though..

Melanie

[Dan 2]

p.s- I'll keep the voting open!

[MrsKP]

Well, on the whole it seems that the humble sparrow hasn't lost a place in our hearts and gardens! Keep in gardening and birdwatching! Dan :-)

p.s- Bill Oddie is on tonight at 8:00!

i forgot which thread you mentioned this on but thanks for reminding me to watch Bill, Dan.  It was lovely watching all the wee wildlife thingies.  i've probably got a patch somewhere like but but never get time to go out and find it.  Still, i've got my own wee patch here which i hope will get busier over time.

[Dan 2]

Thats ok MrsKp  ;) I really enjoyed Tuesdays program, thought it was very good!