In a first, Pakistan’s Sindh conducts baseline survey of house sparrows in Karachi

This screen grab taken from a video on March 21, 2024, shows House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) birds on a branch in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)

• The survey was conducted in five percent of the city’s total area ahead of International Sparrow Day on March 20
• The study involved 121 photographers and wildlife enthusiasts who recorded 9,035 sparrows in the designated area

KARACHI: In a first, the wildlife department in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Wednesday conducted a population survey of house sparrows in the port city of Karachi, saying the results would be compiled using standard scientific methods.
Recent media reports have highlighted the danger of a declining sparrow population in Karachi, other Pakistani cities and neighboring India, with concerns primarily raised by ornithologists. The purported decline is attributed to factors like urbanization, loss of natural habitats, pollution and pesticide use in agriculture, which reduce their food supply and nesting sites. The global community also observes International Sparrow Day on March 20 to highlight the threats to house sparrows and other common birds.
Speaking to Arab News, Javed Mahar, head of the Sindh Wildlife Department, mentioned the claim of a declining sparrow population was made without a prior baseline, prompting him to organize a unique bird count in Karachi last Sunday with 121 photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Covering five percent of the bustling metropolis, the team recorded 9,035 house sparrows. Mahar explained this ratio would be used to estimate the sparrow population in the remaining 95 percent of the city.
“Frequently, news in the media would state that the number of sparrows has decreased or they are faced with dangers,” Mahar said in a conversation with Arab News. “Different things would be discussed, but in reality, no survey had been conducted, there was no baseline present.”
He said the survey conducted in the city would be analyzed scientifically to project the sparrow’s total population in Karachi.
The activity, he continued, was not merely aimed at counting the population of sparrows but also at raising awareness about the dangers the birds have been facing.
“One of the biggest dangers posed to their population is none other than our human conduct,” he said. “We need to strengthen their nesting sites in our homes and provide them with assistance.”
Mahar acknowledged the possibility of survey errors, pointing out it was the first time such bird count had been done. However, he noted the methodology being followed was “standard” and used elsewhere as well to carry out such studies.
Mahera Omar, a wildlife campaigner and one of the volunteers who participated in the exercise, said the counting was an “interesting experience.”
“This was about a bird that every citizen watches daily,” she added.