House sparrow population plummets in Thiruvananthapuram, finds survey

A survey of the house sparrow population in Thiruvananthapuram has revealed an alarming decline, raising serious ecological concerns among conservationists.

The city’s transformation into a high-rise urban hub is believed to have driven away the birds from their traditional nesting locations. Environmentalists have proposed incorporating bird-friendly features in upcoming infrastructure projects to revive bird population in the State capital.

At 109

The survey by the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) was conducted in connection with the World House Sparrow Day on March 20. The total sparrow count this year stands at a worrying 109, a steep drop from 262 recorded in 2025.

The exercise covered key urban and suburban areas including Shanghumughom, Vettucaud, Pettah market, Medical College campus, Sreekaryam and Kazhakuttam.

According to TNHS director K. Jayakumar and research associate Kalesh Sadasivan, not a single sparrow was spotted across these stretches, marking an unprecedented observation.

Traditionally known habitats such as Nedumangad market and Vettucaud community centre, which sustained small but stable sparrow populations for decades, have also fallen silent. The observers noted that these areas, once home to flocks of eight to ten birds, have seen no sightings since 2024.

Glimmer of hope

However, the coastal belt offers a glimmer of hope. The surveys recorded around 30 birds with active nesting sites at Poonthura. Another TNHS researcher Smrithy Raj documented sparrow groups at Beemapally, Pozhiyoor and Vizhinjam. Despite such observations, the coastal population too has sharply declined from nearly 200 birds in 2025 to significantly fewer this year.

The Connemara market, long considered a sparrow stronghold, reported only 14 birds this year compared to 38 last year. TNHS member K.B. Sanjayan attributed the drop to the ongoing demolition and renovation activities in the area, which have destroyed nesting spaces.

Although nest boxes installed by the Forest department in 2022 remain in the locality, many are now occupied or dominated bylarger blue rock pigeons, leaving sparrows struggling for survival.

Elsewhere in the city, including Statue, Thampanoor, Pazhavangadi, Fort area and Chala market, sparrow sightings have been consistently absent in recent years.

The conservationists point to rapid urbanisation, loss of nesting spaces, scarcity of food and competition from pigeons as primary causes for the population decline. They cautioned that without immediate action such as installing sparrow-friendly nesting boxes, ensuring food sources and raising public awareness, the remaining populations may vanish entirely.

The decline, they bemoan, is particularly disheartening given the bird’s iconic status, once described by the legendary ornithologist Salim Ali as “undoubtedly our most familiar bird.”