Migrating Birds

‘TWITCHERS who think the house sparrow is not a migratory beast can think again.

To book Clive for private photography sessions call Lincoln 876 5486

Each year for the past five or more, examples of the passer domesticus make the move from bird box and nest to the pages of the papers.

Just look at the Independent, where one of their number sits on a small twig, showing his best side to the camera.

His name’s Clive, a sparrow model whose been adopting this pose so beloved by newspaper editors since scientists first noticed a fall in sparrow numbers.

But the drop is not across the board, and while there are only, on average, 4.53 sparrows in each Cockney London garden there are an impressive 9.41 in the green spaces of Lincolnshire.

One theory, espoused in the Times, is that the fall in numbers is in someway liked to a scarcity of food.

Amazing as it seems, ‘house sparrows are more likely to be present where food is provided’.

They really are so very intelligent, but they still need our help.

In partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Times wants us to leave fresh water and food out for birds all year round.

And if you can also attract some domestic rats and other vermin, so much the better…

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Posted: 10th, July 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink