2024 is the year of the house sparrow. It was the best known bird in the Netherlands for a long period of time. Unfortunately, its population has decreased enormously. In urban areas, house sparrow populations have declined by 50-80% since the late 1990s, and the species has been on the Red List of Dutch breeding birds since 2004.
House sparrows have the same habitats as humans. Like swifts, they breed in human-made structures: they build globular nests made of dried vegetation under roofs and in the cracks and crevices of buildings. If they are happy, they will stay in the same place for many years. Over the past years, the number of breeding sparrow pairs has dropped alarmingly in all large cities: is it due to a lack of insects? Too little nesting or sleeping opportunities? New homes without holes or crevices? Or are we simply too neat? Not enough hedges?
What can you do to help the sparrow?
. choose plants that will provide insects and seeds the whole year round.
. Keep cats away or give it a bell so that the sparrow will be forewarned.
. Place special pots or nest boxes against your house or along your fencing. Sparrows are social and build their nests in groups, so place at least two or three pots around one meter apart. Or make your own nest boxes.