Suffering sparrows

There was a time when waiters would try to shoo away the cheeky house sparrows (Passer domesticus) that flit around European sidewalk cafés in search of crumbs. Where I live, at least, they now seem have given up: outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and with any scant success reversed by patrons who toss birds tidbits. It's dynamic holds mirror our love–hate relationship these little creatures (Figure 1), many places need rather more from us than few table scraps. S Black (CC BY 2.0)/flickr.com For 21st-century urbanites, it may come as surprise had endure ire greater frustrated serving staff. But for agricultural communities, historical rap sheet pests, robbers grain fruit raised through hard, physical toil. In 1958, Mao Zedong believed Eurasian tree sparrow montanus), which China occupies much same niche P domesticus does elsewhere, so detrimental his country's output he ordered everyone mobilize against it. The complying populace banged pots pans hours on end scare birds, keeping them flying until died exhaustion. They were relentlessly shot, netted, trapped, their nests eggs destroyed. And worked – enormously well. Nobody knows how killed, but ballpark figure “millions” is commonly touted. Yet just two years later, this once despised passerine recipient newfound admiration, what not counted also eat insects. birds’ absence, resulting army chitinous mandibles helped push into one greatest famines history. Not only Eliminate Sparrows Campaign called off, killing banned, country imported thousands Soviet Union an attempt restore its damaged ecological balance. first people risen up sparrows. 1910, US biologist Ned Dearborn certainly did domesticus. “…the English among comparable rat mammals”, wrote How Destroy (USDA Farmers’ Bulletin 383, 20 Jan 1910). “It cunning, destructive filthy.” pamphlet's vitriolic 12 pages annihilate are surpassed author's update Sparrow Pest 493, Apr 1912). Ned's problem invasive North America, busily ousting native species devouring grain, fruit, budding flowers, new shoots, wherever turned up. released New York, 1851, tackle plague linden prominent moth (Ellida caniplaga), further introductions come, often undertaken sparrow-loving immigrants, merely reasons nostalgia “acclimatization”. By 1870s, however, causing real trouble, fields. Famed American naturalists Thomas Mayo Brewer Elliott Ladd Coues backed pro- contra-sparrow corners, respectively, increasingly acrimonious punch-up fought journals day. 1889, after research, Walter Bradford Barrows Department Agriculture's Division Economic Ornithology Mammalogy came all out Department's Bulletin, suggesting laws protecting be repealed, those fed should face prison, professional killers appointed every town village, “sparrow [read ‘sparrow-killing’] clubs” established. clubs didn't catch US, common England, where wars long been waged. 1887, Stratford-upon-Avon Club alone chalked 19,000 birds. during First World War, UK government destruction help ensure food supplies, took upon destroyed eggs. even could eradicate them. However, something subtle having deadly effect, without trying. towns Italy India, less 50 ago, while overall numbers dropped 60% since mid-1970s, some 80% 1966. Some populations montanus declined too: Hong Kong, example, approaching 30% decrease between 2016 2021. survived Dearborn's traps, eponymous death clubs, Mao's anti-avian army, struggling pesticide-driven extinction insects, changes practices, ever larger, hotter, polluted cities. upshot: voices being raised, destruction, conservation. After all, potential rural urban knock-on effects demise aside, café guys annoying your waiter? Adrian Burton