Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Decline in house sparrows linked to car exhausts
More news on the filthy air front indicating that urban sparrow colonies are waning at the fastest rate where traffic-borne nitrogen dioxide was worst.
The decline in house sparrows around here has been fast and very noticeable. When I first started living in the Finsbury Park/Harringay area (having moved a couple of times) 20 years ago, sparrows were by far the most numerous bird you saw in parks and gardens. The old cafe forecourt at Finsbury Park used to be full of them hopping around your feet. Now, I know of one delightfully noisy colony in a corner of Railway Fields and the occasional gaggle of visitors to my bird visitors, so rare as to be an event worth celebrating.
Our dirty urban air isn't just affecting humans and plant life. It's killing off our birdlife too.
Read more here
Tags for Forum Posts: air quality, clean air, nature notes, pollutionwatch
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob Ruggles on
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Must have moved into my Garden. since putting out a Bird Feeder.
Not Helped by reduction of Street Trees. Cut to save Services Charges
Accept that thanks to living in a over Populated Country. where everyone wants or needs a Car Pollution will get Worse
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Permalink Reply by tulips on
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You'll be pleased to know that we have loads and loads of sparrows in our garden. We feed them - sunflower hearts, canadian canary seed and they queue up for their mealworms! It's amazing how many garden birds are attracted by bird food and a bird bath, and trees, hedges and bushes.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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I agree, Bob, that the cutting of street trees has also contributed to their loss but the study points the finger at the period 2006 and 2009 when nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from traffic was increasing.
This happened as diesel car manufacturers made vehicles that passed ever tighter legal tests in laboratories but which emitted much more air pollution when driven on the roads.
Cars that cheat the system and then contribute to filthy air aren't an inevitability. This was reckless, criminal behaviour on the part of the car industry.
I'm not sure everyone "wants a car" any more. Many young people are rejecting driving in favour of cycles and public transport which is a trend that government should encourage with better infrastructure.
Feeding alone will not guarantee winter survival as the study shows, which is not to say don't do it - my birds are costing me a fortune - but its long term trends that we need to be aware of. Winter is crucial for birds.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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The cars would be MUCH more efficient if the exhaust pipes were shorter. They don't NEED to travel the entire length of the car. That's just because the exhaust gasses are poisonous and they'd rather the person behind was poisoned in some bizarre unwillingness to think of where the car behind is. Ideally the exhaust pipes should come out just under the driver's door like they do in hot rod racing.
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Permalink Reply by Dougie on
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To be honest.. I'm 51 and did notice a massive drop in sparrows around 25/30 years ago, but have noticed a very large increase over the past 5 years, more and more every year, I actually saw four nest in one house in muswell hill last year. I was told years ago the decrease was due to efficient sealing up of houses in the roof areas as this is was a favourite nesting place for them. it's funny the house in muswell hill I saw 4 nests was actually sparrows flying in gaps made by broken tiles.. so maybe its not car fumes.. they really are everywhere in wood green hornsey and muswell hill....
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Permalink Reply by Geraldine on
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I seem to remember some years ago they put it down to a virus. We have masses of sparrows here in Hong Kong despite some of the worst exhaust pollution in the world.
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wow.. now that could make sense .. Will check that out, I don't think it's down to pollution myself.. I have a customer who has has a degree in envoiremental science and he told me they don't know if ,what or why climate change is happening, so if they can't be sure what's going on, & they are just guessing, I suppose the people guessing they are lying to us & making it all up to pay more taxes & by new types of cars etc to help shareholder profits high could equally be true.. uhm? Hope hong kong sparrows stay stong .. peace...
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You did read the article didn’t you? The study allowed for many other factors but ultimately although they may be okay in areas away from high nitrogen dioxide e.g. in places with a lot of green space, allotments and gardens like Muswell Hill, they are declining fast where Nitrogen Dioxide build up is highest. I’m older than you Dougie and from the country and your experience isn’t mine - my father, a keen birdwatcher, has noticed it even more -the sparrow numbers have fallen drastically and small rallies due to milder winters or being fed in local areas don’t negate the underlying trend.
Can’t comment on Hong Kong. Perhaps its proximity to the sea helps. The virus was avian pox which particularly affects tits. I’m sure the RSPB took this into account.
Not going to get into climate change denial. Suffice to say I disagree with your alternative theory.
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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You can buy sparrow nesting boxes which fix to the outside of the house under the eaves - my friends have one and it's occupied. The swifts have been checking it out as well.
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Having lived in the same house in Stroud Green for 53 years, Dougie, my recollections tally somewhat with yours. I would say the decline started over 35 years ago, and it seemed to be that the sparrows were actually being replaced by other small birds ( various tits etc. ) with not much change in overall numbers. I remember, 45 odd years ago, the birds were mostly sparrows and if I saw a blue tit it was almost an event. So perhaps they simply couldn't compete.
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I spoke too soon. There is now a sharp decline in the sparrow population of Hong Kong. This is being put down to an unusually dry spring.
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=199493&story_...
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