Return of the sparrow

At a time when sparrows are disappearing in cities and villages of North India, a woman has turned her home into a haven for these birds. Harpreet Kaur of Nidhawala village in Moga district has cared for sparrows since 2010. She fondly calls them her ‘daughters’.

Her journey began in 2010 a year after her wedding. After the birth of her son, her house was demolished for reconstruction. During the work, she noticed a sparrow had built a nest nearby. She placed a cardboard box for it. The bird returned, made its nest inside, laid eggs and raised its brood. The gesture gradually became a commitment.

“Since childhood, I have always had a passion for plants and animals. I felt we must give something back to the environment. Also, I had always wanted a daughter, but that was not to be. Today, these little sparrows are my daughters. When I am with them, I forget all my sorrows. Just as daughters bring life and happiness to a home, these sparrows fill my home with happiness,” she says.

Harpreet began installing nesting shelters at home in 2013. Her house now has more than 200 birdhouses, with around 500 birds visiting these. She feeds these birds every day, providing wheat, wheat bran and rice, while adding bajra in winter.

Her efforts have also spread beyond her home. She has installed around 100-150 birdhouses in her village free of cost and another 50-60 in nearby villages, and plans to expand the initiative. For her, every family celebration is an opportunity to add another shelter for the birds. “Whenever I whistle or call, they fly towards me. I feel they are a part of my family,” she says.

Her commitment has sometimes required her to make difficult choices. She once stayed back home and missed her sister’s wedding in Canada. “I did not go because it was the breeding season for the birds. During the breeding season, the birds need extra care; the water bowls have to be cleaned and refilled frequently. My husband went to Canada, but I stayed back. Even otherwise, when I have to travel, I usually make sure I am back within a day,” she says.

Harpreet uses Facebook to raise awareness. She began posting videos of the birds as people engaged. She says these videos now generate Rs 3,000-4,000 a month, which she spends on bird feed and shelters.

She was inspired by environmental conservationist Sandeep Dhaula of Barnala, who has installed more than one lakh artificial nest boxes for native bird species in the area.

Dr Tejdeep Kaur Kler, an ornithologist at Punjab Agricultural University, says such efforts can help address the loss of nesting sites. “If anyone is making an effort to save sparrows, it is certainly a good initiative. We tell farmers during training at the Skill Development Centre about the importance of preserving birds and their role in the ecosystem. I would not say sparrows have become extinct, but bird populations can decline because of the loss of nesting sites, changes in habitat and other environmental factors. Artificial nests can be a good alternative. Wherever possible, people can also leave a portion of a wall unplastered or use traditional mud walls, allowing birds to make holes and create suitable nesting spaces,” she says.

For Harpreet, her concern goes beyond feeding birds. She worries about polluted water, environmental degradation, pesticide use and crop-residue burning that are making survival harder for birds.

What began with a cardboard box has become an act of care. Amid the chirping in her courtyard, Harpreet Kaur hopes to give the birds not only food and shelter, but a reason to keep returning.