Berhampur: On the occasion of the National Bird Day, wildlife activists Monday installed artificial nests in several houses in an Odisha village in an effort to conserve house sparrows.
The activists placed the nests in Basudevpur village in Ganjam district. Several villagers, especially women, have shown interest in the conservation of the house sparrows.
National Bird Day is observed January 5 to raise awareness about bird conservation and their ecological importance.
“So far, we have installed over 6,000 eco-friendly artificial nests and feeder boxes in around 40 villages in Ganjam district,” said Sagar Kumar Patra, president, Anchalika Bikash Parishad, an organisation working for the conservation of house sparrows.
He said they would install some more artificial nests in several places in the coming days, as the demand of the villagers increased.
The sparrow population in these villages has increased manyfold after the artificial nests were installed, while villagers provided food and protection, locals said.
The sparrow conservation drive was launched by the organisation from Bagahajhari village in 2012, with the distribution of earthen pots and artificial nests to the villagers to hang in front of the houses to attract sparrows. The pots are decorated in such a manner that the birds are attracted to breed.
