Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The population of sparrows (Gauraiya) in Bhopal has witnessed a jump of 40% to 80 % over the past five years.
The number of this most common bird, which had become uncommon over the past one decade or so, has risen by 40 % in the BHEL, TT Nagar and Old Bhopal areas in the city whereas its numbers have witnessed a 60 % rise in the Kolar area. In rural areas around the city such as Karond, Bilkhiriya, Bishankhedi and Khajuri , their count is up by almost 80%.
These figures are based on sample surveys conducted by Bhopal Birds, an organisation of bird lovers, in 2023-24. Bhopal Birds has been counting the number of sparrows in the city since 2012. They have been organising sparrow conservation campaigns in collaboration with Van Vihar National Park, Regional Museum of Natural History and Madhya Pradesh Biodiversity Board.
Dr Sangeeta Rajgir, a PhD in ornithology and president of Bhopal Birds, says that their estimates are based on a sample survey conducted using Google Forms combined with field visits. She says that growing awareness of the declining population of sparrows has led to people providing nesting facilities, grains and water for them. And that has resulted in the growth in the numbers of the bird.
Sangeeta says that when they launched their sparrow conservation campaign in the city on the World Sparrow in 2012, they organised a painting competition themed on sparrows in schools. “We were shocked to know that many school students had never seen a sparrow,” she says.
As part of the campaign, they provide sparrow nest boxes to interested persons in Bhopal, Vidisha, Sehore, Narmadapuram, Indore and Jabalpur. “Non-availability of space to make nests in cities is one of the main reasons for the decline in sparrow population,” she says. Mohammed Khalique, a bird expert says that sparrow is a small bird of about 16 cm length and rather lazy. In its entire lifetime it doesn’t fly more than a few kilometres and never migrates to other places. According to Khalique, sparrows have been friends of humans for the past 10,000 years and in India, sparrows building nests in the house was considered auspicious, he adds.
Gauraiya Mitra Award
People install nest boxes in their homes and if female sparrow lays eggs in them, the owners are honoured with ‘Gauraiya Mitra Award’ on March 20 every year.
