World Sparrow Day is observed on 20 March. It is a day designated to raise awareness of the house sparrow and other common birds to urban environments, and of threats to their populations.

• It is an international initiative by the Nature Forever Society of India in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France) and numerous other national and international organisations across the world.
• Once found in huge numbers across the world, the small bird is slowly making its way to the endangered list.
• The day was celebrated by carrying out different various kinds of activities and events like art competitions, awareness campaigns, and sparrow processions as well as interactions with media.
• House sparrows can be easily recognized because they live very close to humans.
• This small bird originates from North Africa, but it has been successfully introduced to North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Did You Know?

• Sparrows are actually carnivores (meat-eaters) by nature, but they have slowly changed their eating habits ever since they learned to live close to people.
• Sparrows primarily eat moths and other small insects, but they can also eat seed, berries and fruit.
• Sparrows can survive between 4 and 5 years in the wild.
• Sparrows are very social and they live in colonies called flocks.
• House sparrows are non-migratory, but urban flocks traditionally moved to the countryside in the late summer to feed on the ripening grain fields.