In article , K
writes

"Johanna" wrote in message
...
: In article ,
: says...
: : Not because they have become rare but because they are declining very
: rapidly - they've gone from 'outrageously common' to 'common' very
: quickly. And I suppose the though is that if they keep declining this
: quickly, it won't be long till they *are* rare.
:
: It was also suggested recently that sparrows need a minimum number in
: their social groups to be able to breed properly. The less birds there
: are in a particular group, the less likely they are to breed
: successfully, so the numbers reduce even further..., eventual leading to
: the loss of the group.

Another possible reason given is that many people are now replacing gutters
and wooden facias with PVC and blocking all previous access into walls,
roof, etc. The BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) is carrying out a
sparrow survey at present which includes questions about this and also about
the height and type of shrubs in people's gardens.

Bith possibly contribute - another thing RSPB say is that sparrows like
to nest in groups, and they recommend a 'sparrow shelf' nesting box -
one which is wider than usual so it has room for more than one nest.
This is probably the sort of situation you'd get with holes in wooden
fascias - hole through to a space big enough for several nests.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

On Sat, 22 Mar 2003 06:40:39 -0000, Johanna
wrotc:

It was also suggested recently that sparrows need a minimum number in
their social groups to be able to breed properly. The less birds there
are in a particular group, the less likely they are to breed
successfully, so the numbers reduce even further..., eventual leading to
the loss of the group.

All this is very interesting in view of the fate of the Red Kite.
From being as prevalent in London in their day as pigeons are today,
even surviving the pollution of the times, they now only survive,
incredibly shy of humans, somewhere in Wales.

It's surely not possible to find a shy sparrow!

Huss

Grow a little garden

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 19:19:13 -0000, "Fredie"
wrote:

I have just moved into my first house with a garden in London. Fantastic.

I have seen lots of birds - tits, blackbirds and so on. But no sparrows.
Anybody got any ideas about where all the sparrows are...


They seem to be very selective, not in gardens but where there is some
wild parkland or by rivers with deep foliage they are ok..
I think cats are the problem ,thats from my observations..

June Hughes scribbled:

Can you please tell me what is the dirty-green, finch-type bird with a
narrow yellow stripe on its wing and a beak like a Roman nose? We
have them in our garden and the sparrows are extremely rude to them.
TIA

Does it look like this Jane
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/birds/birdpages/51.html

Steve R

Fredie scribbled:

I have just moved into my first house with a garden in London.
Fantastic.

I have seen lots of birds - tits, blackbirds and so on. But no
sparrows. Anybody got any ideas about where all the sparrows are...

Sparrows are the feline equivilent of McDonalds.

Steve R

Essjay001 wrote:

Fredie scribbled:

I have just moved into my first house with a garden in London.
Fantastic.

I have seen lots of birds - tits, blackbirds and so on. But no
sparrows. Anybody got any ideas about where all the sparrows are...

Sparrows are the feline equivilent of McDonalds.

Steve R

If you want to see Sparrows I suggest you come to Norwich I am sick of
them chirping and rummaging about under the eaves.

Someone once wrote to a newsgroup and called them "flying vermin" I
couldn't agree more.I never put food out for them, although my neighbour
does. If the birds drop the food in my back yard I put it in the bin.

M (Disliker of Sparrows and Starlings)

If you want to see Sparrows I suggest you come to Norwich I am sick of
them chirping and rummaging about under the eaves.

There is a great deal of rummaging going on at the moment :-)
kate

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:07:56 +0000 (UTC), "Essjay001"
wrote:

June Hughes scribbled:

Can you please tell me what is the dirty-green, finch-type bird with a
narrow yellow stripe on its wing and a beak like a Roman nose? We
have them in our garden and the sparrows are extremely rude to them.
TIA

Does it look like this Jane
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/birds/birdpages/51.html

Steve R

My guess, either Greenfinch or female Chaffinch...

Sounds like a greenfinch but ours bully the sparrows.

"MG" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:07:56 +0000 (UTC), "Essjay001"
wrote:

June Hughes scribbled:

Can you please tell me what is the dirty-green, finch-type bird with a
narrow yellow stripe on its wing and a beak like a Roman nose? We
have them in our garden and the sparrows are extremely rude to them.
TIA

Does it look like this Jane
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/birds/birdpages/51.html

Steve R

My guess, either Greenfinch or female Chaffinch...