Thiruvananthapuram: While yet another World Sparrow Day(WSD) will be observed on coming Thursday (20th March), a pall of gloom has fallen over sparrow enthusiasts as the bird population was found to be diminishing in Thiruvananthapuram city and its suburbs. A house sparrow (Passer domesticus) survey conducted by the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), a city-based N.G.O. working in areas of environment protection and biodiversity assessment, revealed a fall in the bird count when compared to the previous years. It is not out of place to recall the unique recognition that the bird earned from the ‘Birdman of India’ Dr Salim Ali who adorned it as “undoubtedly our most familiar bird” (Book of Indian birds; bird entry no 521).

The exhaustive survey was carried out in all possible sparrow-haunting pockets within the city and also in suburban areas such as Kazhakuttam, Pothencode and Nedunangad. It was visible from the data compiled that its population has shown a fall or is altogether absent in certain locations in the heart of the city like Medical College, Fort, Chalai, Shankummughm, Vettucaud, etc, all of which harboured stable sparrow populations until recently. The scenario in Nedumangad is heart-breaking as a small but healthy population has been thriving there for the last one and a half decades (observing WSD began in 2010) till 2024 when the count stood at 10.

The number of house sparrows at Connemara market, considered to be the bastion of the bird in the city for long, continues to be stable. This year as many as 38 birds were spotted in the market as well as in the precincts of the adjoining Palayam Juma Masjid, aisles of Saphalyam and on the few trees that line the Independence Column and the paid car-parking enclosure. This is more than the count of 33 made last year. The market, a decade back adorned the covetable position of being the hub of the sparrow population in the city as revealed by the count of 148 in 2012 and 101 in 2013. More than a dozen bird nests which were installed on the walls of the main entrance by different nature groups, still exist but the birds have now discarded them due to the dilapidated condition of the nests. A group of head-load workers, led by Murukan, continue to cast vigil on the few active nests and drive away crows trying to snatch away its pale green eggs. Strangely coinciding with the WSD, demolition of the core market is about to commence, to pave the way for a new market complex, and it is the fervent prayer of the sparrow enthusiasts that the beautiful main entrance is retained both from the historical as well as environmental grounds…

In the true metropolis of the city, pockets like Statue, Thampanoor bus and rail terminuses, Pazhavangadi, Fort etc have continuously drawn blank for many years in succession. It may be due to the reason that a bird-like house sparrow, a confirmed hanger-on man, fails to locate a hole in the ceiling, a niche in the wall, rolling shutter gaps inverted lamp shades or similar other conceivable sites where it can stack a collection of straw, cobweb or feathers for laying eggs. It is a matter of disappointment to note that it has not dawned on the giants of commercial institutions that sprang up in the Pazhavangadi area of the need to sponsor this tiny struggling bird population as a marketing strategy, yet.

The story of the Fort area was also disappointing. The Pazhavangadi Maha Ganapat temple was harbouring a small but active house sparrow population till a couple of years back. Why the bird is deserting such busy areas like East Nada, Kuthira Malika, Vaikuntam Mandap, Attukal Complex, West Nada etc… According to Dr Kalesh Sadasivan, Research Associate, TNHS, scarcity of food items and non-availabilityofnesting sites are two valid reasons. K.B.Sanjayan, who co-ordinated the house sparrow survey, opined on the need to create awareness, especially among the stakeholders of commercial giants on the imminent requirement to upkeep the birds which silently play a meaningful role in mitigating climate change perils.

The emerging metropolis of Kazhakuttam, an area scouted by Dr Kalesh Sadasivan and K. Jayakumar, President, of TNHS, has also drawn blank. This year for the first time, TNHS volunteers went up to far-off locations such as Vembayam and Punalur. Shaji Ponnu has recorded 7 house sparrows from Vembayam while Pradeep and Anila Manalil observed 13 sparrows at Punalur market, with eight active nests. Baiju Paluvelly, a senior member, could not observe a single bird at Nedumangad, a location that has been surveyed since 2010 with a two-digit sparrow presence in all previous years.

On the contrary, the coastal belt of the city recorded a good number of sparrows. Sanjayan who scouted for the birds at Beemapalli could comfortably put the number at 120 plus. He observed them frolicking at both entrances of the Dargha, in the aisle leading to the vast parking ground, in the hostel building, on the ceiling of most of the shops etc. Nesting was also rampant. However, he could not observe a single bird in Valiathura. Dr Smrithy, who looked for the birds at Vizhinjam recorded as many as 50 plus birds. He met with ardent sparrow supporters who insisted on getting bird nests. Dr Kalesh Sadasivan and K. Jayakumar together looked for birds at Poonthura and recorded 20 of them. Sanjayan who surveyed Sulaiman Street, a traditional sparrow hub adjoining the airport, could observe a mere six birds only. He drew a blank at Shankumugham and Vettucaud. S.Ajithkumar who surveyed the Poovar area could record only 8 birds this year. Last year the sparrow record was 25 at Poovar. He reported a dangerous situation of some house owners evicting the birds from air holes in their houses. Some locals also attributed the decline to cats devouring the birds.

According to the house sparrow survey carried out by T.N.H.S. in 2025, a total of 262 sparrows were recorded. It is very interesting to note that of these, the places in the coastal belt have contributed 198 birds with 78% of the birds recorded. The birds have shown a downward trend in the heart of the city and in many places, they have disappeared. The civic authorities should take serious note of it and initiate concerted efforts to reverse the trend.

There are about a dozen small markets in the city which could be ideal dwelling places for the birds to thrive. Markets at Pettah, Perurkada, Poojappura, Karamana, Manacaud, Edappazhanji, Kedaram shopping complex, Ulloor, Sreekariyam, World Market, and different malls are ideal places for getting converted into house sparrow-friendly markets if the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram pays serious attention towards it. Recently the Corporation has been bestowed with an award by an international body. Existence and maintaining house sparrow-friendly markets too is an important yardstick internationally for judging such excellence awards. The corporation will stand in good stead if, among other parameters, its markets are truly sparrow-friendly.

K.B.Sanjayan, a senior member, who co-ordinated the house sparrow count is optimistic that the birds’golden days are yet to come shortly, as many people who by occupation come in direct contact with the birds’ daily chores, are genuinely interested in its survival. The sentiments voiced by such people among whom are Mahboob, running an electronic gate near Dargha’s second gate, Sajeed, also a shop owner near Rafi-vul Islam Arabic College, Sulaikha, a fisherwoman and Ganesh salesman at KGR Stores, Connemara market simply point to this direction. They are providing bird baths and then for the birds or at least concerned with their healthy dwelling by casting sympathetic looks.