On March 20th, the world celebrates World Sparrow Day! This international initiative aims to raise awareness about the house sparrow, a common bird in urban environments around the world. But World Sparrow Day isn't just about sparrows; it's a call to action for the conservation of all birds that share our cities and towns.
Sparrows, particularly the house sparrow, have been facing population decline for several reasons. Habitat loss due to urbanisation, pesticide use, and competition for nesting sites are all significant threats. World Sparrow Day serves as a reminder of the vital role these birds play in our ecosystem. They help control insect populations and act as indicators of environmental health.
- Raising awareness about sparrow decline: Sparrows, once a common sight in many areas, are experiencing population decline. World Sparrow Day serves as a wake-up call, highlighting this issue and its potential consequences for the ecosystem.
- Importance of urban biodiversity: Sparrows are a key part of urban environments. World Sparrow Day emphasises the significance of protecting these birds and, by extension, all the other common species that share our cities and towns.
Overall, World Sparrow Day reminds us that even small creatures play a vital role in a healthy environment. By protecting sparrows, we contribute to the well-being of our planet.
What are the Types of Sparrows in the World?
There are two main groups of sparrows in the world, categorised by their geographic origin: Old World Sparrows and New World Sparrows. The A To Z Animals website mentions: “Most of these birds are classed as Old World or New World sparrows. The Old World species are also called “true sparrows.” They make up eight genera in the family Passeridae, superfamily Passeroidae, infraorder Passerida, suborder Passeri, order Passeriformes, class Aves (birds), phylum Chordata, and kingdom Animalia.”
The website further mentions their scientific names:
- “Abd al-Kuri sp. (Passer hemileucus)
- Afghan snowfinch (Montifringilla theresae)
- Arabian golden sp. (Passer euchlorus)
- Black-winged snowfinch (Montifringilla adamsi)
- Blanford’s snowfinch (Montifringilla blanfordi)
- Cape sp.(Passer melanurus)
- Chestnut sp. (Passer eminibey)
- Cinnamon ibon (Hypocryptadius cinnamomeus)
- Dead Sea sp. (Passer moabiticus)
- Desert spa. (Passer simplex)
- Eurasian tree sp. (Passer montanus)
- Great sp. (Passer motitensis)
- House sp. (Passer domesticus)
- Iago sp. (Passer iagoensis)
- Italian sp. (Passer italiae)
- Kenya sp. (Passer rufocinctus)
- Kordofan sp.(Passer cordofanicus)
- Northern grey-headed sp. (Passer griseus)
- Pale rockfinch (Carpospiza brachydactyla)
- Parrot-billed sp. (Passer gongonensis)
- Père David’s snowfinch (Montifringilla davidiana)
- Plain-backed sp. (Passer flaveolus)
- Rock sp. (Petronia petronia)
- Rufous-necked snowfinch (Montifringilla ruficollis)
- Russet sp. (Passer cinnamomeus)
- Sahel bush sp. (Gymnoris dentata)
- Saxaul sp. (Passer ammodendri)
- Shelley’s sp. (Passer shelleyi)
- Sind sp. (Passer pyrrhonotus)
- Socotra sp. (Passer insularis)
- Somali sp. (Passer castanopterus)
- Southern grey-headed sp. (Passer diffusus)
- Spanish sp. (Passer hispaniolensis)
- Sudan golden sp. (Passer luteus)
- Swahili sp. (Passer suahelicus)
- Swainson’s sp. (Passer swainsonii)
- Tibetan snowfinch (Montifringilla henrici)
- White-rumped snowfinch (Montifringilla taczanowskii)
- White-winged snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis)
- Yellow-spotted bush sp. (Gymnoris pyrgita)
- Yellow-throated bush sp. (Gymnoris superciliaris)
- Yellow-throated sp. (Gymnoris xanthocollis)
- Zarudny’s sp. (Passer zarudnyi)”
Further, new world sparrows are birds from the Americas that resemble Old World Sparrows but are classified in a different family, Passerellidae. There are around 138 species of New World Sparrows, with many not having "sparrow" in their name.
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