Chhatrapur/Bhubaneswar: Census for house sparrows was conducted for the first time in Odisha by a Bhubaneswar-based organisation, Wildlife Odisha Foundation (WOF) recently for the year 2025 – 2026. During the census, a total of 83,576 house sparrows were spotted across the state.
Subarnapur district topped the chart with 30,000 birds. The activity was done using the modern-day scientific method. While the population in western Odisha districts is high, the number drops sharply across the coastal and southern districts in the state, which was concerning, the foundation reported.
Chairman of the WOF Prasant Kumar Dhal said that the presence of the house sparrows along the western districts, largely due to the weather conditions, is a welcome sign for the wildlife lovers. The foundation has made an appeal to the public to take efforts in conservation and protect of the tiny birds helping their population rise.
Public and government must work in coordination towards the sustainable conservation of the sparrows that possess high risk of extinction, Dhal added. Notably, specially designed wooden shelters and earthen pots were distributed by wildlife conservators and volunteers to protect the sparrows from adverse conditions that can be seen outside the residences of various villages and townships.
The survey and census was carried out by scientists, district representatives and volunteers across Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Khordha, Koraput, Sambalpur, Balangir, Subarnapur, Jharsuguda, Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in the state.