House Sparrow | 21 Mar 2020
Why in News
Every year March 20 is observed as the 'World Sparrow Day' to raise awareness about the bird.
- The Day was first celebrated in 2010.
- The initiative was started by the 'Nature Forever Society (NFS)' of India.
- In India, House Sparrow is found throughout the country, up to the Assam valley and lower parts of the Assam hills. Towards the eastern Himalayas, the species is replaced by the Eurasian tree sparrow.
Key Points Related to House Sparrow
- Scientific Name- Passer domesticus
- Conservation Status- Least Concern on the Red List of The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Habitat and Distribution
- The house sparrow is widespread across the world, inhabiting every continent, except Antarctica, China and Japan. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa.
- It is the State bird of Bihar and Delhi.
- It is known to stay close to human habitations, and is therefore among the most commonly found bird species in urban cities.
- Some of the causes for decline in its population are as follow:
- Unfriendly architecture of our homes.
- The use of chemical fertilisers in crops.
- Noise pollution.
- Exhaust fumes from vehicles.