8:46am Thursday 18th June 2009
Sparrows are one of our most popular garden birds and many people do not even realize that they are becoming scarce. The survival and success of this native species is important to Twycross Zoo and we are helping with a number of projects to support our native wildlife. The Government-funded study has found that up to 80 per cent of these cheerful little birds may have disappeared in recent years. Where once the population in the UK was twelve million it may now be as low as three million. Twycross Zoo will help their population of 200 sparrows by increasing the number of potential nesting sites around the Zoo.
To monitor the population and hopefully increase the breeding potential of the twelve terraced style houses, with a combined nesting potential for 36 pairs of birds, have been erected. This has been set up as a trial in two locations within the Zoo to ensure the new population can be sustained.
Four boxes have been put up at the back of the Giraffe House, another seven have been erected in the vicinity of the grounds of Norton Grange. Educational boards will be placed underneath the boxes with conservation information.
In addition to the provision of nesting boxes we are also providing three feeding stations on site. One behind Norton Grange the former home of Miss Molly Badham and now the Zoos administration office, one within the garden of the Parrot House and the other in the small woodlands around the Zoo.
According to preliminary findings of the first official investigation into the decline of Britain's most common birds, the number of house sparrows may have fallen catastrophically Vivienne Greenough, Nest Records Officer at the British Trust for Ornithology at Thetford, Norfolk said, “We are absolutely delighted that Twycross Zoo has put up these House Sparrow terraces. In the past twenty five years, House Sparrow numbers have declined by over 50% and have consequently been added to the ‘red list’ of conservation concern. The severe decline in House Sparrows is thought to be associated with a decrease in natural nesting sites, so by providing an alternative in the form of nest boxes, we can help conserve this much-loved and familiar species. However, putting up your nest box is only half the fun; people can now monitor their nest boxes by taking part in the BTO's Nest Box Challenge- an online survey which is free to participate in (www.bto.org/nbc). By having a look in your nest box every few days and by counting the number of eggs or chicks that you see, you can provide the BTO with valuable information on how well our British birds are doing each year in their breeding attempts.
Curator of Birds and Plants at Twycross Zoo, Ben Potterton said, “We will be monitoring the House Sparrow population around the Zoo. We aim to work in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology, who will ring adult birds throughout the year and ring any juvenile birds in the nest boxes. We also hope to start a Rearing and Survival (RAS) programme to monitor and boost the population of sparrows in the area.
If you would like to help restore the house sparrow to our countryside you can contact the zoo for more information on conservation@twycrosszoo.org
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk