Context - National Zoological Park, New Delhi (Delhi Zoo) celebrated World Sparrow Day today.
Key Facts:
- Theme – ‘I love sparrows.’
- Emphasis - The role of individuals and communities in sparrow conservation.
- Six sparrow species found in India:
- Theme – ‘I love sparrows.’
- Emphasis - The role of individuals and communities in sparrow conservation.
Ecological significance of Sparrows:
- Seed dispersion: Sparrows spread seeds to places away from the fruit tree. This is important for germination of the seeds, because if the seeds fall close to the parent plant, they would have to compete for nutrition with the mature plant. This would reduce the chance of germination of the seed as well as growth of the plant.
- Biodiversity: Although primarily seed-eaters, sparrows also feed on small insects and worms such as caterpillars, beetles and aphids. Some of these creatures destroy certain plants. Sparrows keep their population in check; otherwise, the insects would have eaten certain plant species to extinction. Here also sparrows play an important role in preserving the ecosystem.
- Food chain: Most birds of prey, such as eagles and falcons, eat other smaller birds. Snakes, which are also secondary consumers, are known to eat sparrows. For example, sharp-shinned hawks prefer sparrows for food. Hence they provide food for the secondary consumers.