Save the House Sparrow

Did you know the number of house sparrows has declined by 64% since 1970?

They’re in such decline that the house sparrow is ‘code red’ on the population rating system known as the UK List of Birds of Conservation Concern. Across several cities in Britain house sparrows are sadly becoming a rare sight.

Various factors have affected the house sparrow - baby sparrows have fewer insects to eat due to a lack of greenery in urban areas, and urban development has also caused a decline in available nesting opportunities. Sparrows don’t like to move very far throughout their whole life so once their nest is gone they find it very hard to find a replacement.

However, you can help! We spoke to the RSPB and asked them what can be done, and together we produced the leaflet which you can find in pdf format below. This leaflet offers top tips on helping the house sparrow survive this winter. If you live in an urban area then don’t be put off - this is where your help is needed most.

We have also rallied our teams in store and they're all chipping in to help. So far this has included educating children on the importance of wildlife through in-store workshops, inviting local sanctuaries in store to talk about their work, and some stores have also visited local schools to help set up sanctuaries.

If you would like to be involved then please pop into your local store and let us know!