of sparrows on the doorsteps of verandah. They used
to make nests into the hollow parts of beams of ceiling. But,
surprisingly the sparrows gradually vanished from the growing cities.
Now, they're coming back, merrily dancing around bedroom windows and
creating a ruckus as the first rays of the sun hit
the terrace.
It was
a common complaint that destruction of habitat, I mean the ventilators
and cell phone signals had driven out these little friends. Then how
they come back? One interesting cause could be the ability of these
birds to adapt to the changing skyline of the city. Sparrows are now
seen nesting on the pillars of flyovers, iron structures of hoardings
and kitchens.
It is true that sparrows and other smaller birds had became scarce in
the city. But they didn't die
out altogether. They shifted their locations. But, we're happy to see
them again. People's Green Society, an NGO prepared a list of 56 birds
which are found in the city after a six-month-long survey. The list
contains orioles, barbets and woodpeckers, which were visibly declined
in the past.
Small birds, like sparrows, feed on insects. But insects and worms are
less seen today due to excessive use of pesticides. But, with the
growing greens in recent past, insects are also coming back. So the
birds too.
But some birds may have been lost forever. Once the city was home to
more than 300 species of birds. But the figure declined quickly due to
rapid urbanisation.--
A. B.
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