A Study on the Nesting Site Preference and Adaptability of House Sparrow to Various Locations in the Rural, Suburban and Urban Gradients

Abstract

House sparrow is one of the most familiar species that has a strong association with human habitation. The incidence of house sparrow is often considered as an indicator of sustainable ecosystem. This study aimed at identifying the preference in natural nesting site locations of house sparrows in the rural, suburban and urban gradients and recognizing their adaptability across various gradients. The study area chosen was Madurai district, which is one of the oldest inhabited city in India, with rural, suburban and urban habitats. The study was conducted from January 2019 to September 2021, in 205 random sites, adopting line transect method. The nesting sites were digitally documented and analyzed. Among the 205 sites, 164 sites were rural, 19 were suburban and 22 were urban gradient. The presence of nests were observed in 169 places, of which 80.4% were in rural, 94.7% in suburban and 86.3% in urban gradients. The identified nesting site locations were categorized into nine types. In rural gradient, 53% preferred nesting in houses, 11% in wells, 10% in schools and shops, 9% in community buildings, 7% in temples, 6% in Highway bridges, 3% on trees and 1% on climbers. In the suburban habitat, houses were the most preferred (64%) location, followed by the shops and schools (20%). In urban gradient, houses were preferred by 61% of the species, followed by shops and school buildings with 14% and 9% occupying the pipe holes in bridges. In the urban gradient, due to the nonavailability of old houses, the house sparrows were found to occupy the pipe holes in the highway bridges, which enumerates the behavioral plasticity of house sparrow in urban environment. Further study on the nesting characteristics might determine the influence of location type in the nesting success of house sparrow.