This is the beautiful House Sparrow, also known as the Cockney Sparra. It is an endangered species in our cities, particularly in London where it used to be so common. It's a lovely bird to watch, full of fun and chatter. It's very sociable – you won't see just one – you'll always see a flock. You don't put up a nesting box for the Sparras, you put up a row of terraced nesting boxes cos they like to be together!
But in King's Cross it's very rare indeed to see a Sparra these days. The south end of Battlebridge Basin can be proud to be the home of such a flock. They've been here for the past five to six years and really thrive on the thick shrubbery that edges that part of the canal basin – a mix of private gardens and a long almost hedgerow type space managed by people living on the narrow boats there. Sparras need thick shrubs. These are not often found in cities these days. People tend to cut them back, prune them to make them 'tidy', to enjoy a view or to get more light. The problem is, by doing that we are killing off the Cockney Sparra.
This is a plea to everyone in King's Cross, particularly anyone near the canal which forms part of a green corridor including Regent's Park and Camley Street Nature Park. Please, please don't hack back your overgrown shrubs. Without them we won't be seeing the Cockney Sparra no more.
Please compromise, leave an area of your garden, your community garden or any open space you are involved with 'over-grown' – particularly if you have shrubs in that area. The environment for our urban wildlife is so delicate, so easy to destroy. Surely saving a species is worth losing that view or not having that ultra tidy garden?
someone from Islington council has just ordered the cutting away of large sections of brick wall climbing wild shrubs along the wall of Regent’s canal. I wondered about little creatures like the sparrows when I SAW IT done. Little birds use these to hide in them, and it provides undergrowth for insects and spiders, that are eaten again by the birds. it SEEMS THERE IS NO CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN VARIOUS TEAMS IN Islington, ESPECIALLY SURPRISINGLY LITTLE CHECKING WITH GREEN GROUPS ABOUT MEASURES SUCH AS CUTTING THE WALLS FREE.