House sparrows once abounded virtually every continent of the world, from Australia to North America – so much so that they came to be popularly known as the Common House Sparrow. Now, the bird’s population is rapidly declining everywhere and India is no exception.
World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20 every year to raise awareness about the conservation of the common house sparrows, which are increasingly vanishing due to urbanisation, high pollution levels, global warming and loss of ecological resources among other reasons.
The day is an initiative of the Nature Forever Society. The non-profit was founded by Mohammed Dilawar, an internationally acclaimed conservationist passionate about saving sparrows.
World Sparrow Day 2022: Theme
The theme for World Sparrow Day this year is “I love sparrows” and attempts to unite people from all walks of life who share the sentiment to accelerate community-driven conservation efforts focused on sparrows.
World Sparrow Day 2022: History
World Sparrow Day was first observed in 2010, marking the beginning of a campaign to save these chirpy little birds. Started by the Nature Forever Society, it has now come to be celebrated by conservationists from far and wide.
Dilawar was behind the famous effort to protect sparrows starting in Nashik that also got him recognition in 2008 from the TIME magazine. The publication honoured him in the “Heroes for the Environment” list for that year.
Here’s how to celebrate World Sparrow Day 2022:
Join awareness programs: Events focused on sparrow conservation efforts can be found both online and offline. Young conservationists may be interested in poster-making or quiz competitions organised by schools.
Go birdwatching: One of the easiest ways to observe the house sparrow is to take an early-morning stroll through gardens and eco parks.
Document birds in your backyard: All famous conservationists like Mohammed Dilawar, nature photographers and wildlife cartoonists start out by observing birds that perch on their balcony or in their backyard. There’s no better motivation to protect something than a personal connection with it.