When we first moved into our house 30 years ago we had many House Sparrows coming to our feeders. I was doing everything to discourage them, especially from occupying our bird houses. It didn't work. Since then, I can't remember just when, they have simply disappeared. Now we see only a single bird or two occasionally. Merlin sometimes reports "hearing" them, however.
We have no Eurasian Tree Sparrows in this area, so they definitely have not displaced House Sparrows, and we still see flocks of them in our local park and around other places like fast food restaurants where there is often food on the ground. Needless to say we are glad they are no longer coming to our feeders or nesting nearby, but why remains a mystery.
Carol, My research into House Sparrows tells me this is a problem throughout their entire world-wide range. Their numbers are decreasing and no one is sure why. Normally when a species of bird's population numbers decreases over a period of time it is because of the lost of nesting sites or loss of habitat. And migration is always a source of high mortality. But House Sparrows do not migrate. And their habitat is they thrive living amongst people - using our homes and buildings for nesting sites, eating seeds at birdfeeders and gardens, and cleaning up after us wherever we eat outdoors. So why are their numbers - world-wide - decreasing? Do any of you reading this have any thoughts or observations? Linda
When we first moved into our house 30 years ago we had many House Sparrows coming to our feeders. I was doing everything to discourage them, especially from occupying our bird houses. It didn't work. Since then, I can't remember just when, they have simply disappeared. Now we see only a single bird or two occasionally. Merlin sometimes reports "hearing" them, however.
We have no Eurasian Tree Sparrows in this area, so they definitely have not displaced House Sparrows, and we still see flocks of them in our local park and around other places like fast food restaurants where there is often food on the ground. Needless to say we are glad they are no longer coming to our feeders or nesting nearby, but why remains a mystery.
Carol, My research into House Sparrows tells me this is a problem throughout their entire world-wide range. Their numbers are decreasing and no one is sure why. Normally when a species of bird's population numbers decreases over a period of time it is because of the lost of nesting sites or loss of habitat. And migration is always a source of high mortality. But House Sparrows do not migrate. And their habitat is they thrive living amongst people - using our homes and buildings for nesting sites, eating seeds at birdfeeders and gardens, and cleaning up after us wherever we eat outdoors. So why are their numbers - world-wide - decreasing? Do any of you reading this have any thoughts or observations? Linda
