![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
You are in: Programmes: Breakfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() Where have all the sparrows gone?
![]() You can help by monitoring the sparrows in your garden
They used to be a familiar sight in urban areas and city parks, but since the early 1970s, there has been a drastic reduction in the house sparrow population.
The familiar song of the 'cockney sparrow' is becoming rarer and the latest research suggests their numbers may have halved with the London and the south-east the worst affected area.
There used to be around 12 million pairs of birds in Britain, but the British Trust for Ornithology says that the number is now between 6 to 7 million pairs. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissioned the research and it is thought that one of the reasons the birds are disappearing is because of the destruction and damage to natural habitats.
Sparrows nest in urban areas making their homes in roof voids and holes in buildings, but also in bushes. They are also fast disappearing from farmland. The domestic cat, Sparrow hawks and pollution are all blamed for the reduction in numbers; sparrows eat mainly seeds and it's thought that we're not always putting the most suitable food out in gardens. The British Trust for Ornithology wants more research into the disappearance of the humble sparrow, and is hoping to raise money in an appeal. The public can also get involved by setting up bird monitoring schemes and the BTO has more information about this on their website. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK To have your say, e-mail us at breakfasttv@bbc.co.uk |
![]() |
See also:
![]()
22 Oct 01 | England
Internet links:
![]() The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Links to more Breakfast stories |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To BBC Sport>> | To BBC Weather>> | To BBC World Service>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |