Seeds and bugs experiement to save London's sparrows
News from the RSPB site
Experimental planting is underway in London's parks to grow seeds and attract insects to support the declining house sparrow population.
The RSPB has secured funding from SITA Trust to run a number of trials that have the potential to restore London’s declining house sparrow population.
The Capital’s house sparrow population has dropped 68% compared with that of fifteen years ago, indicating something’s wrong with our environment.
Working in partnership with six local authorities and organisations in London, the £170,000 SITA Trust funding will allow us to see whether long grass, wildflower meadows or arable flowers provide the food-rich habitats that sparrows require. The project builds on two major RSPB research programmes looking into the birds’ decline.
More than half of Greater London is private gardens and parks so creating the right habitat for house sparrows could have a marked impact. The new habitats will also bring a host of other benefits for urban wildlife by attracting and supporting butterflies, bees, grasshoppers and other garden birds like tits and finches.
Running over three years, the trials will be based on sites owned by the project partners; Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, City of London, The Royal Parks Agency, Wandsworth Borough Council, Islington Council and Southwark Council.
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