House sparrow population decline is caused by shortage of insect prey

Birds are the common denizens of the ecosystem and are considered as indicator species of ecosystem health. Various studies depicted the reduced teemingness of several bird species in most parts of the world. Among these birds, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus indicus) is the most familiar species which are co-evolved with man. The disappearance of sparrows has been widely reported from all over the world, including India too. Among Indian states, Kerala is also not an exception. Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides, decline in insect prey population, change in building construction pattern, well maintained modern gardens in houses instead of weedy gardens which provide feeding grounds for sparrows and electromagnetic waves from cell phone towers
are the major drivers of decline. Sparrows are highly sensitive to local environmental parameters which also have contributions in its decline. This paper, inter alia examines the major causes for the decline in the population of sparrows in recent years. An ecological balancing is an urgent necessity to save the sparrows from extinction.
Source: Manu Rani Paul, 2015. Asia Pacific Journal of Research 1:38-40