What Should Be Done To Reverse House Sparrow Decline?
So what can be done to reverse house sparrow decline? Personally, I would start with passing some local planning laws and offering financial incentives to homeowners. There should be stipulations on all new developments for evergreen and fruiting hedges to be used as borders whenever possible – privet being the prime example. Useful berry producing trees, like hawthorn, holly, yew and rowan, ought to be planted instead of purely ornamental ones. Having house sparrows nesting on your property and in your garden should be seen as a desirable thing – something socially important – even a fashionable objective if that will help the sparrows! For myself, why do I feel morally superior just because I have pairs of nuthatches and coal tits feeding regularly from my birdfeeder and my neighbours dont? Why do I feel jealous of those who have house sparrows? If only this inane emotion could be engendered in other people, then more food and habitat would be provided for more birds. Sparrows are a
