Where have all the sparrows gone?

March 20 is World Sparrow Day. Why a red-letter day in honor of a bird?

Look around – the once-common sparrows are now harder to see. And it’s not just in your neighborhood but the world over. No one agrees on exactly why sparrows have disappeared, but the most common reasons are thought to be changes in architectural styles of houses that no longer support nesting, lack of insect food for chicks due to increasing use of insecticides, and pollution from microwave towers.

Yahoo! contributor THARANGINI, a web designer with a penchant for photography and a great love for nature, believes that we must first make room for sparrows in our hearts. The rest will follow.

Enjoy this poignant photo-essay and don't forget to make room in your home and heart for the humble house sparrow.

Hope still exists. It is believed that sparrows build nest only in houses that have good Vaastu. Whatever be the reason, it certainly feels good to wake up to their happy chirping. They are ... more

Hope still exists. It is believed that sparrows build nest only in houses that have good Vaastu. Whatever be the reason, it certainly feels good to wake up to their happy chirping. They are comfortable with most types of food and, as we have seen, a cardboard box can make the coziest nest. Let's do our bit to bring the joy of their chirps back to our homes and hearts.

An ardent nature lover, THARANGINI has always been interested in travel and started photography three years ago. Sparrows have always held a fascination for her. She is a web designer by profession. Enjoy more of her work at her blog. less

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| Photo by Tharangini B

Mon 19 Mar, 2012 8:30 AM IST