World Sparrow Day (WSD) is annually observed in more than 50 countries across the world on 20th March to create awareness and celebrate the ecological significance of sparrows, or common house sparrows (Passer domesticus).
The theme for WSD is “I LOVE Sparrows”. The theme has been inspired by the hope that people will celebrate the relationship between People And Sparrows.
Background:
i.The World Sparrow Day (WSD) is an initiative of the Nature Forever Society (NFS) of India, in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation of France and other national and international organisations.
ii.The first-ever World Sparrow Day was observed on 20th March 2010.
Nature Forever Society(NFS):
i.Nature Forever Society (NFS) is a conservation organisation that has been working for the conservation of house sparrows, common flora and fauna.
ii.NFS, founded by Mohammed Dilawar, was formally registered on January 13, 2008.
Mission: To involve citizens of India in the conservation movement
House Sparrow the State Bird of Delhi:
In 2012, then Chief Minister (CM) of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, declared the house sparrow as the state bird of Delhi during the launch of the NSF’s Rise for the Sparrow Campaign.
The NFS proposed declaring the house sparrow as the state bird of Delhi.
Facts about Sparrow:
i.The House sparrow is one of the most widespread and commonly seen wild birds in the world.
ii.It can be found on two-thirds of the landmasses, including New Zealand, Australia, North America, India, and Europe.
iii.The longevity record for a house sparrow is over 13 years, and the survival rate for the young under a year old is less than 25%.
iv.Over 40% of all adult house sparrows die each year.
IUCN Status:
i.The House sparrow was assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 and it was listed as Least Concern.
ii.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016. Passer domesticus is listed as Least Concern.
Note:
The data from metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru shows a steady decline in the population of house sparrows since 2005.
