Urbanisation killing sparrows, notes Dikshit

New Delhi, March 20: Rapid urbanisation and dwindling nesting space has led to a sharp decline in the number of house sparrows in the city, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said.

"It's time to focus on survival of house sparrows as there has been a sharp decline in their numbers over the last decade. Four years ago, the dominant species of birds here were the house sparrow, crow, rock pigeon and common myna," Dikshit said at an event organised by wildlife organisations at her official residence on the occasion of World House Sparrow Day Saturday.

"But by 2008, all these (birds) have been sidelined by the rock pigeon. The sparrows and pigeons were in competition for nesting space and the smaller bird was obviously beaten. Rapid urbanization has created obstacles in habitat of the bird," she added.

The World House Sparrow Day aims to specifically address the problem of declining bird population and look for possible solutions.

"The house sparrow is an important bio-indicator and its decline is a grim reminder of degradation of the urban environment and the danger from it to the human welfare in the long run," Dikshit said.

"There is a need to start house sparrow habitat conservation drive by providing water and food regularly to the birds, switching back to organic gardening and putting up nesting boxes dedicated to house sparrows," she added.

She said that the nature trail at her official residence, which is open to school children twice a week, has been a big hit in creating awareness on nature conservation.