Changing climate, global warming, growing concrete jungles, depleting greenery and most of all mobile towers dotting the skyline of urban and rural areas are seen as plausible causes for decline of sparrows across the country.
Naturalists, conservationists, nature lovers and bird experts were concerned at the declining number of the friendly species of birds, said noted ornithologist Amarjit Gupta.
Gupta pointed out that the greatest danger to the environment was posed by the mobile towers erected atop buildings as the radiation released from them was affecting the avian creatures.
Stating a study has shown that the presence of this bird was only noticed in those areas located at a safe distance from the towers, he said, a little greenery also provided living and surviving space for sparrows.
According to bird watcher Raminder Singh, it is good news that there has been a campaign in the national capital to give the sparrow the status of a ‘state bird’ and the Delhi Government has accepted it.
“The sparrow has got recognition. The bird which has been seen disappearing from residential homes will now get a new lease of life. This will definitely give a boost to its preservation in the country”, Singh said.
Until a year ago, the sparrow was listed under the ’Least Concern’ category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
Now, with the efforts of scientists and considering the decreasing number of sparrows, the IUCN has declared it endangered and placed it in the Red Data List of endangered species.