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Hindustan Times . Live Thane Mulund . Saturday, October 23, 2010 . Page 1
You can chip in to help preserve sparrows
Report By : Megha Pol
When was the last time youspotted the sparrows chirping merrily at your windows? Do you often wake up to these birds tweeting in the morning? Perhaps, youdon’t remember as the sparrow population in your city is rapidly dwindling.
The reasons for the reducing numberof sparrowsisbecause of radiation and loss of green cover that served as shelters to these little birds. If these birds continue to be wiped off rapidly from your city, a time will comewhen theywillmerely remain in the books rather than on your windowsills.
The Plant and Animals Welfare Society–Mumbai (PAWS), has nowlaunched the ‘My Sparrow Home’project with a mission to save these twittering beauties. “Wehave made artificial wooden nests for these sparrows,”said Sunish Subramanian Kunju, founder and secretary of PAWS, Mumbai.“These nests will give them shelter. Generally, sparrows are decreasing in the city due to loss of shelter. Earlier, in chawls or small buildings there were small gaps or holes near the windows, pipelines, ducts and so on. Today, there are no such space in towers or big residential complexes where they can build nests and lay eggs.Thus,we have made these artificial shelters for them.”
These nests will be distributed free of cost to schools, colleges or even public places wherever people are ready to erect them.“These nests are designed in different shapes and sizes and in such away that only small sparrows will go insideandnot other birds like mynah or bulbul. Also,there are holes bored at the bottom that will serve as drainage system forthe birds. The nest will also protect them from rain and sun. We have even used scrap or used wood to make the nest so that no trees are cut in the process,” he added.
These nests can be erected in balconies, gardens or windows. The sparrows, though, may not visit them immediately as they will take their time gauging the safety of the nest. To buy this nest, people can write tomysparrowhome@gmail.com or call 25968313.
