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The House sparrow (Passer domesticus) சிட்டுக்குருவி World Sparrow Day 2021 Chennai Wetland's biodiversity Madipakkam Marshland birds

The House sparrow (Passer domesticus) சிட்டுக்குருவி

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012 (Photo Credit U Elaya Perumal)

World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20 every year. It a day to raise awareness and protect the common house sparrows, which are not so commonly seen now due to increasing various pollutions. among them, noise pollution considered as the worst pollutant affecting the house sparrows.

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

In Madipakkam Lakshmi Nagar we have noticed some House sparrows regularly late in 2020. But in Medavakkam even though we have observed Silverbill, Prinia, Sunbird, Munia, and Tailor birds, we have not noticed any House sparrow yet. our search is on we will surely find some house sparrow soon in Medavakkam Marshland too. since we don't have photo of Madipakkam sparrow we have used our stock photos from 2012.

A female House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

Here we would like to showcase the video of House sparrow from Tirunelveli District
We have set up two-three sparrow houses in our home where many sparrow families are residing, often they play in our balcony and plants near the balcony... this video was taken from our balcony when they were playing...

Feed sparrows, water sparrows, and give space for sparrows in your home. this should be the motto taken on The world Sparrow day 2021...
Hope everyone follows and protects sparrows from extinction...

Female House Sparrow

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Passeridae

Genus: Passer

Species: P. domesticus

Binomial name: Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

Widespread and abundant in cities, neighborhoods and farms. Avoids dense woods. Flocks cluster in dense bushes, bustling around and chattering to one another. Males have smart black bibs, bright rufous napes, and stunningly patterned wings with brilliant buffs and browns. Underparts are pale pearly-gray. Females are plain brown with cute face and lighter eyebrow. Native to Eurasia; introduced to much of the rest of the world.

Female House Sparrow

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

Male House sparrow

A pair of House sparrow inside a hostel room in Pune University Photo taken in 2012

The Pied Myna or Asian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) கறுப்பு வெள்ளை மைனா அல்லது ஆசிய கருப்பு வெள்ளை நாகணவாய் Madipakkam Wetlands, Chennai

The Pied Myna or Asian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) கறுப்பு வெள்ளை மைனா

Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) கறுப்பு வெள்ளை மைனா observed at Marshland of Lakshmi Nagar, Madipakkam, Chennai - 600 091 on 11-08-2020 (Photo Credits: U Elaya Perumal).

The Pied Myna or Asian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) is a species (or possibly a species complex) of starling found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are usually found in small groups mainly on the plains and low foothills. They are often seen within cities and villages although they are not as bold as the common myna. They produce a range of calls made up of liquid notes. Several slight plumage variations exist in the populations and about five subspecies are named, but recent studies support upgrading the subspecies to three distinct species, one with 2 subspecies.

This sharply attired black-and-white starling has a pointed yellowish bill with an orange base. Note the bare, deep orange patch around its eye that contrasts with its white cheek. Seen in loose flocks close to human habitation feeding on human refuse. Garbage dumps, damp grazing lands, and well-watered parks are its favored haunts. Noisy with a variety of calls that includes mimicked sounds of other birds.

This myna is strikingly marked in black and white and has a yellowish bill with a reddish bill base. The bare skin around the eye is reddish. The upper body, throat, and breast are black while the cheek, lores, wing coverts, and rump are contrastingly white. The sexes are similar in plumage but young birds have dark brown in place of black. The subspecies vary slightly in plumage, the extent of streaking of the feathers, and in measurements.

The flight is slow and butterfly-like on round wings.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Sturnidae

Genus: Gracupica

Species: G. contra

Binomial name: Gracupica contra (Linnaeus, 1758)

To find this bird you can visit 8th street, Lakshmi Nagar, Madipakkam, Chennai - 600 091, in the early morning around 6 to 7 am. This bird could be seen every day during my early morning visit to Lakshminagar for Thuimai Iyakkam cleaning activities.

(Photo Credits: U Elaya Perumal).

Shikra Accipiter badius வைரி Chennai Wetland Birds Madipakkam Marshland

Shikra (Accipiter badius) வைரி

The shikra (Accipiter badius) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the shikra. The shikra is very similar in appearance to other sparrowhawk species including the Chinese goshawk and Eurasian sparrowhawk. They have a sharp two-note call and have the typical flap and glide flight. Their calls are imitated by drongos and the common hawk-cuckoo resembles it in plumage.

Shikra (Accipiter badius) observed 24-07-2020 at Madipakkam, Chennai - 600 091(Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Accipitriformes

Family: Accipitridae

Genus: Accipiter

Species: A. badius

Binomial name: Accipiter badius Gmelin, 1788

Shikra (Accipiter badius) observed sitting on Moringa tree trunk at Madipakkam, Chennai - 600 091 on 24-07-2021 (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

This Shikra was silently sitting on the Moringa tree and watching the playing bulbul birds. The shikra is a small raptor (26–30 cm long) and like most other Accipiter hawks, this species has short rounded wings and a narrow and somewhat long tail. The call is pee-wee, the first note being higher and the second being longer. In-flight the calls are shorter and sharper kik-ki ... kik-ki.

Shikra (Accipiter badius) observed sitting on Coconut tree near Madipakkam Lake, Chennai - 600 091 on 15-07-2020 (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

A common, widespread resident across Asia and Africa. Adult males have a reddish iris, blue-gray upperparts, and fine brownish-orange barring on underparts. Females have a yellowish iris and brownish-gray upperparts. Both have narrow dark barring on the tail. Juveniles are browner with a prominent moustachial stripe and streaked underparts. It hunts for a wide variety of prey in woodland, savannah, and even suburban gardens, dashing out from perches within vegetation to grab its prey.

Shikra (Accipiter badius) observed sitting on a Coconut tree near Madipakkam Lake, Chennai - 600 091 on 15-07-2020 (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

Chennai Wetland's Biodiversity