Sparrows on brink in state, experts blame urbanization

Ranchi: The sweet melodies of sparrows, once a ubiquitous part of mornings, have faded into memory. These tiny birds which were once a familiar sight have mysteriously vanished from our daily lives. The house sparrow, previously abundant, has become a rare sighting in Jharkhand over the past 15-20 years, raising concerns among ornithologists about their declining population in urban areas.
Dr Satya Prakash, Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) state coordinator for Jharkhand, attributes this decline to rapid urbanization. "Modern buildings lack the spaces sparrows need for nesting, reducing places to raise their young. Additionally, sparrow chicks feed on insects found in paddy fields, but pesticide use in agriculture has reduced insect numbers, impacting sparrows' food supply and population growth."
Prakash emphasizes the need for community-led initiatives and awareness drives promoting organic agriculture to revive sparrow populations. "These birds play an important role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling insect populations and contributing to pollination and seed dispersal."
In industrial cities like Jamshedpur, the sparrow population has declined significantly due to pollution and habitat loss. Shiladitya Acharjee, a Jamshedpur-based researcher, stated, "Industrial development has destroyed natural habitats over the last 10-15 years, while factory pollutants affect bird population growth."
However, Jharkhand conservator of forests Rajendra Naidu acknowledges that no formal survey of the sparrow population has been conducted in the state.