Sparrow population in North Chennai grows by 20% in the past four years, says NGO

Koodugal increases sparrow population in Chennai by 20% through conservation efforts and mobile app development.

The sparrow population in north Chennai has increased by 20% over the past four years, according to Koodugal, a voluntary organisation working towards sparrow conservation.

To support its conservation efforts, the organisation is developing a mobile application to track and record sparrow numbers, among other initiatives.

It has observed that the tiny birds are also being spotted in other core areas of the city, including Anna Nagar, Koyambedu, Saidapet, and Velachery, signalling a positive trend.

D. Ganeshan, convener of Koodugal — Nest (Network for Environment Sustainability Trust), said: “We, now, review sparrow population with students and residents after distributing nest boxes. The mobile application, which will be ready in two months, will help track and update the live location of the sparrows spotted, and collate a database. This will further help us improve conservation efforts.”

Koodugal has also set up nearly 50 nest boxes at a school in Tiruvottiyur to observe how sparrows respond to them placed in large numbers. “We can now spot more sparrows in various areas of north Chennai,” said Mr. Ganeshan.

The organisation’s initiative to set up a nest hub with 100 nest boxes in a gated community in Tondiarpet to evaluate sparrow activity has garnered the attention of visitors. While about 200 sparrows have made them their home, the place now serves as a weekend getaway for many residents who want to capture special moments with the birds.

In the past four years, Koodugal has distributed nearly 12,000 nest boxes across the State with the support of Chennai Willingdon Corporate Foundation. “We have, so far, reached out to 15,000 students in 50 schools to educate them on sparrow protection and teach them to make nest boxes,” he said.