According to a new government survey..garden makeovers..such as 'Groundforce' ...are in part to blame for the dramatic decline in House Sparrows..their numbers having dropped by 70% in 30 years...mostly in London/S.E.England.
In other words..by creating 'artificial environments'...we are in grave danger of losing much of our bird population.
The report said that due to the creation of acres of concrete-decking-gravel,there is far less food and nesting spots available to our birds.
The other big culprit is the 'cat'..whos numbers have apparently 'exploded' ove recent years.Ive had witness to this in my own country garden..even though I donot own one..neighbours cats have taken birds ..Ive seen one leap near 5ft in the air to take a beautiful blue tit from a tree!
I would add to this the amount of 'artificial' lighting there is now. This disturbs the birds greatly especially during nesting time.Apparently London has no 'real darkness' now!
Only this morningIve been round my garden ..to check that the 4 nesting boxes are ok and still in place. Can I put out a plea for those of you who have a garden ..no matter how small..to put up a nesting box please? Birds are seeking a place to start now..and I get so cross when I see here..hedges cut(no..theyre ripped !) along the lanes..just at a time when birds need them to build in......crazy!
We have beautiful barn owls fly across the back field and sometimes through the garden...if I had my way..I would put a large box up for them....but H thinks this a step too far in such a small garden!
D'you know ..these lovely creatures numbers have been affected..not only by intensive farming methods by theyre often killed by 'high-sided vehicles'on our motorways?
Please do what you can to help our bird population(here and Portugal)..it would be a terribly sad world without them.......Thank-you