Thousands of sparrow houses were distributed as Bangaloreans enthusiastically embraced an initiative to give the humble but ubiquitous bird a new lease of life in this technology hub.

Since yesterday, around 3,500 sparrow houses – “Gubbi Goodu” in Kannada – made of bamboo have been handed free of cost to the people. Today is the World House Sparrow Day.

A total of 10,000 sparrow houses is proposed to be distributed under the initiative of BCIL-ZED (Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd-Zero Energy Design) Foundation and the Zoo Authority of Karnataka.

If the response continues to be as good, BCIL is willing to distribute one million (ten lakh) sparrow homes in the next one year, under the campaign to save the dwindling sparrow population in the city, officials said.

The sparrow homes can be set up in balconies and verandahs. Gubbi Goodu is a campaign to step up awareness on the dangers faced by sparrows and their dwindling population in the city.

Sparrows, which have been a part of the city's environment, are now practically unseen owing to urban development eating up their nesting space.

Bangalore, which was once a haven for sparrows, with its shrubs and bushes, typical nesting spaces for these little birds, is increasingly being stripped off its green cover.

Additionally, man-made threats such as the rising numbers of mobile phone towers and microwave population, pollution, noise and electric wires have made the sparrow's survival all the more difficult.

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