Sparrow populaton

[bruce5755]

I am from Hertfordshire, England.  This question has no relationship to the last post!  I was just wondering if any-one else had noticed a sharp decline in the sparrow population over the last few months, they used to be frequent visitors to our garden, but I can honestly say I cant remember the last time I saw one!  Is this a national trend or is it just that there are more cats about.  We only seem to get blackbirds and pigeons lately.  However bluetits are quite often seen so maybe there is natural decline with sparrows. I would hate to think that they are an endangered species!        Any one else noticed a local decline in their garden bird population?

[alunrw]

Bruce, we have the opposite (South Wales) - Sparrow population definitely declined within the past 20 years or so but they do now seem to be making a slow and steady comeback - Jackdaw and Magpie populations seem to have exploded though,particularly Jackdaws - The bird that seems to have declined the most around these parts is the Starling - we do however have a lot of Buzzards, admittedly not garden birds but fantastic to watch in flight.

[Robinia]

I live about 3 miles out of Derby & we still have lots of cheeky house sparrows bruce but we all have hedges, not fences, which probably helps. In fact I'm  lucky to have lots of visitors to my garden including greenfinches, chaffinches, blue,great & coal tits & greedy starlings but only a couple of robins. I've recently had a small group of reed buntings which is very lucky it seems.  The blackbird population has risen in the last few years but sadly, despite lots of snails around, only one thrush. They cost me a fortune to feed but well worth it!

[orange-gnome]

I also live in Herts and have also noticed a decline in numbers of sparrows however I have seen a few. Not nearly as many as I have seen blackbirds, wood pigeons and tits!
Maybe sparrows don't like Herts anymore!

[spudqueen]

Here in Lancashire we have lots of house sparrows. However I have read that the population of house sparrows is in decline in certain areas, including London. There was a lady doing some kind of survey into this, but what her findings (if any) were I have no idea.

[Cetti]

Hi bruce! These lovely little birds have  declined dramatically (up to 60%!) over the last few years which is alarming, and not just in this country either, but worldwide. There seems to be a lot of different factors concerning this country.  Here are a few: More cats than ever before -  and more Sparrowhawks coming into urban gardens for easy pickings, although the latter doesn't seem to be a significant factor. The definite increase in use of garden pesticides, more pvc guttering  thereby removing favourite nesting sites.  Garden makeovers have a lot to answer for with the  cutting down of  indigenous trees, ripping out bushes and grass -  replacing them with exotic plants, concrete or gravel.

 For some reason they're disappearing faster in the southern half of the UK than in the north, so if you have them in abundance enjoy them as they're such joyful little birds and it would be dreadful to lose them.

Have a look at the link to the right of this RSPB site entitled 'House Sparrow in Great Britain advice leaflet'
http://tinyurl.com/dxtus

 

[burnhal]

I live in Luton just up the road from Herfs- my house sparrows are making a come back after a few lean years- I get up to 30 in the garden in autumn and winter and still a good dozen in spring and summer- what I dont know is whether I get the whole neighbourhoods supply of sparrows as I keep areas of the garden 'wild' and spend a fortune on feeders! Dunnocks seem to be on the increase, as are blue and great tits and get a lot more coal tits, greenfinch and goldfinch than I used to- though curiously not so many chaffinches. Song thrush? Once in a blue moon unfortunately buy many more blackbirds.

[shaneystar]

Here in East Anglia on the coast I have lots of cheeky sparrows in my garden.In fact this afternoon I was sitting out there writing some letters and they come and perch on the end of the table.Then they flit off and have a dip in the bird bath.I also have a pair of blackbirdswho are quite tame ,chaffinches,wood pigeons,robins,and blue titsThe greedy old starlings who are quite comical.Lots of seagulls floating around dangerously near my washing !!This morning whilst out with my dog saw my first swallows swooping across the park.what a wonderful sight.We don't have many magpies.They were rife in London where I used to live.we also have the odd sparrowhawk floating
aloft.