London's Sparrows

[Wild-Woman]

A bit of a follow on from my London's butterflies thread as aeshna5 got me thinking.
I can't remember actually seeing any sparrows on my most recent trips to London!
Does anyone have information on their status in the capital and and indeed what it is that is causing such a dramatic decline?

Perhaps there needs to be an initiative set up around London business's to provide sparrow terraces and food to help them out.

Jules

[buzfuz8149]

Hi WW,

Can't help with the London count but there is information on it, some one I am sure will be able to give details.

As you say the decline has been dramatic but they are on the increase again.

I did a bit of recording for the BTO and we had none here 5years ago this year I have seen a flock of 15 - 20.

Not much when you compare the photo below (sorry about the quality the negative is packed away) taken in 1974 Bolton Lancashire.

They don't seem as friendly as they were then or is that my sentimental nature coupled with age coming through?

Carol

[Wild-Woman]

Just to add. This shot was taken outside Notre Dame last year. Why are the French capital's sparrows doing so well? What do they do different?

[mrs fish]

It is not just the terraces or food they need, it is hedges and shrubs which people don't have so much of anymore or the councils like to hack down to the ground

[buzfuz8149]

You are spot on Mrs Fish the hedges make a big difference.

Carol.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by buzfuz8149

You are spot on Mrs Fish the hedges make a big difference.

Carol.

I must admit, there were plenty of hedges outside Notre Dame. They were being fed by visitors and were landing on their hands to feed too.

[rlchew]

I remember when I first started birdwatching (seed was sold in pounds, shillings and pennies ) House Sparrows were common in our garden, in our town and in the countryside.

How things have changed! Today, seeing a House Sparrow on a birdwatching trip is a record of note. Fortunately I still see small groups chirruping away at my local patch, Wat Tyler Country Park.



Julie .... here are a few links which may answer some of your questions but research is still going on to find all the answers.

Sparrows Need Hedges Website

Study in to urban House Sparrow depletion in the UK

The secret life of sparrows

Richard

[mrs fish]

Thanks very much for posting those links Richew

The biggest colony of house sparrows I saw recently was at Colchester zoo!

Last year my bird count for hs's was 15, this year it was 7
There have been alot of changes to the area and the council do seem to have a policy of cutting bushes down to the ground every two years
Also the sparrow hawk numbers have increased.

[aeshna5]

There have certainly been regional differences in the status of House Sparrows. There are places where they are apparently increasing, but the decline has been greatest in the south-east, with London showing the steepest decline.

They seem to have disappeared from most of the central areas. Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park have had regular bird counts for possibly nearly a century + a few decades ago over 1000 HS were counted- now none, the last disappeared 4 or 5 years back. Many places I regularly visit no longer have them- Richmond Park (when I was a teenager I could see Tree + House Sparrows here), Kew Gardens, the central parks, YET they can be numerous in the suburbs.

In my garden where I have plenty of cover + I provide ample food in an organic garden, they are the most numerous bird- I regularly see c30 + suspect the total number using the garden could be much higher. We have a small number at the London Wetland Centre where there are some suitable nest boxes. Both these places are regularly visited by Sparrowhawks, so predation isn't a likely factor.

The RSPB have been investigating the decline + there have been various theories as to its causes. Dennis Summers-Smith who has written books on sparrows + is an authority on them suggested that this recent decline co-incided with the introduction of lead-free petrol + some by-product has resulted in a decline in insects needed by the birds.

I don't think the petrol theory has been substantiated, but the RSPB also believe that HS struggle to find enough invertebrate food for their young, so survival of latter is reduced. Other factors may include removal of bushes/hedges as people worry about muggers + other undesirables hiding in them (public paranoia) which HS need + also modern buildings may reduce potential nesting sites.

I wonder if the reduction in insects is the full picture because the central parks are probably more bird rich than ever with birds such as Long-tailed Tits, Treecreepers, Blackcaps + the 2 commoner woodpeckers relatively recent colonists as well as the increasing number of established exotics.

Let's hope the cockney sparra' reasserts itself across the capital!

[mrs fish]

Have tit numbers gone up alot in recent years? Are they taking all their food?

Cat numbers have gone up but that wouldn't explain the loss in parks or the countryside.