Published By: Nibandh Vinod
Last Updated: March 20, 2024, 06:30 IST
World Sparrow Day is celebrated annually on March 20. (Image: Shutterstock)
World Sparrow Day is intended to promote awareness about the conservation and protection of sparrows, whose numbers are falling globally.
World Sparrow Day is an annual event that is marked on March 20. It is intended to promote awareness about the conservation and protection of sparrows, whose numbers are falling globally. The first observance of this special day occurred in 2010. The declining sparrow population is concerning as these birds are recognised as a good indication of a region’s environmental health. The goal of the day is to raise awareness about the importance of sparrows in the ecology, including their role in pollination and pest management.
One of the first birds most of us remember from our childhood is perhaps the house sparrow. They once lived in colonies, in almost every home in the community and public places like train stations and bus stops. The house sparrow brings up many happy memories for a lot of us. Sadly, the numbers of these birds are gradually dropping, and they are in danger of going extinct.
World Sparrow Day: History
World Sparrow Day was created by India’s Nature Forever Society and France’s Eco-Sys Action Foundation. The aim was to set aside a day for the house sparrow to raise awareness about its protection.
To spread awareness of World Sparrow Day, the Nature Forever Society has also developed a special website – https://www.natureforever.org/wsd.php. This portal features a vast library of pictures and data regarding several global sparrow species.
World Sparrow Day 2024: Significance
The day is marked to draw attention to the condition of the sparrow, which is on the verge of extinction. World Sparrow Day also strives to bring together people who love sparrows and appreciate their beauty.
Earlier, it was easy to spot house sparrows, and we often saw them in our backyards. Nowadays, spotting house sparrows in the city has grown harder, as we have got more disconnected from nature and biodiversity in recent years.
World Sparrow Day celebrates the human-sparrow relationship and serves as a call to action to protect these lovely birds and their habitats. The day aims to raise awareness about the predicament of sparrows and other common birds, as well as to urge people and organisations around the world to take action to protect them.
World Sparrow Day 2024: Celebrations
World Sparrow Day is observed across the globe in a variety of ways, such as organising bird-watching events, awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, building birdhouses, and planting of trees and shrubs to provide habitat for sparrows.
