Save a House Sparrow: “Conservation Must Come Before Recreation”

October 25, 2021

Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” What a paradoxical turn of events in this ultra-modern world that some kind humans have to make nests for the poor birds to live in this concrete jungle created by the human beings.

In the spirit of ecology, three of our school organizations recently collaborated with Mr. Rakesh Khatri, the Nest Man of India, in a project to save endangered birds. The Sophia School Interact Club, Bangalore; Notre Dame Academy Interact Club, Choodasandra; and Rotary Spandana (Heartbeat/pulsation) Club, Bangalore, organized a workshop which culminated in making nests for house sparrows. These and other small birds are endangered because of loss of habitat due to rapid urbanization, diminishing ecological resources for sustenance, and emissions from microwave towers.

The workshop aimed to create awareness about the disappearance of small bird species and ways that we can become agents in sheltering them. Mr. Khatri trained us to make a nest for the sparrows using coir (cocoanut fiber), soft cotton cloth, five rings, a bangle, thread, and a thin rope, which were provided to us. We were happy to make two nests, now hung on the bushes in our campus. We eagerly await the arrival of the house sparrows to occupy the nests.

Sister Mary Swarnalata, Sister Mary Shruti, Sister Mary Christina Kiran, Sister Mary Athira, and Sister Mary Ruth were privileged to participate in this workshop. We consider this project as a small step towards the ecological conversion that Pope Francis calls for in Laudato Si.

Sister Mary Shruti & Sister Mary Athira