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House sparrows

B3B3 Posts: 27,505
in Wildlife gardening
I looked on RSPB site where they still have sparrows on the red list.
There are four separate flocks in our road alone and others locally.
Have you noticed an increase or decline in your area?
In London. Keen but lazy.
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  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    For some decades we hardly had any but we did have greenfinches. Now no gf but a load of sparrows. They love to nest under the tiles and make such a racket in the mornings. They are always squabbling with each other and they pull off the primrose flowers!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Loads here.  There were a few when we arrived and we feed all year round so have more each year - more surviving winter and then 2 or 3 clutches of babies.   Plenty next door in the cow byres too.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    I love them ,we have loads living in our front hedges . Trouble is that we have tons of pigeons as well that take all the food and chase them away . Can’t stop nature I guess but I wish my sparrows( after which our house is named , so they’ve been coming here a while) could be left in peace they are such fun to watch .
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    They are by far the most prolific garden bird on our road. One of our neighbours rents and their roof facia has dropped so the sparrows can get in there, it's created a superflock because about four or five people, including us feed them. 

    I do like them, hence the feeding, but they are destructive little sods.  
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    This is something I've struggled to understand with the conservation status of birds. There are about 5.3million pairs of House Sparrows in the UK and those pairs can have 2 or 3 broods a year so the population should swing wildly up over 20-30 million birds at times. We're told this number is down 70% since the 70s but no one seems to really know what a healthy population should be. In the post-war years they did really well from wasteful farming practices but that obviously didn't replicate a healthy wild population either. They're doing well from gardens and supplementary bird feeding now but it's always my opinion that this should only be a stopgap until this country restores its depleted ecosystems. If we really get this 30 by 30 (30% of land and sea set aside for wildlife by 2030) thing working then it should be assumed that we can have a big reduction in feeding birds and they can start fending for themselves again. What is the prediction for their population when this happens?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I’ve noticed more of them in my garden recently.  From what’s been said above, that could explain who’s been destroying my blue aquilegia flowers!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I have always found sparrows and assorted tits do well on hanging bird feeders so any pigeon presence doesn't bother them but then I haven't lived in a town or suburb for over 30 years so I get more wood pigeons than townies.   

    Chaffinches, robins, dunnocks, and collared doves are all determined ground feeders but the only bullies are the magpies.  This last winter I spotted a couple of starlings learning how to feed on the fat balls hangers....
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Lots here, and I don't generally feed birds directly (I grow stuff they like to eat, I don't buy bird seed). They're lovely, noisy, busy little things that are always hopping about in my window by my desk, I assume eating aphids or some such small bugs off the stonework
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Lots about sparrows here

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cwxdvj?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile 

    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    I thought it was only hedge sparrows (dunnocks) who are on the amber list?
    We gave a large squadron of house sparrows constantly in and out the garden, they're plentiful round here and I'm very happy about that - they're fantastic to watch! They're not at all bothered by the bigger birds and happily share feed bowls. @bcpathome I should send you some to fend off your pigeons!
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