author(s)
Anita Jhajhria

abstract
The common house sparrow is one of the most ubiquitous birds around us and is one of the more familiar winged companions of human beings. It has, over a period of time, evolved with us. This bird has been on the decline over much of its natural range, both in the urban and rural habitats. The decline of the house sparrow is an indicator of the continuous degradation of the environment. There are various factors responsible for the decline of house sparrows. These include lack of food, pollution, predation by domestic cats or sparrow hawks, competition for food from other urban species, loss of nesting sites, increased use of pesticides, change of environment, pollution, electromagnetic radiations disease transmission etc. The paper reviews the causes and efforts to conserve them in their natural habitat and increase their number so that the avian diversity is sustainably managed.