The London House Sparrow Parks Project Jacqueline Weir Supervisors: Simon Leather Linda Davies

London house sparrow decline BBS data and London Biodiversity Partnership house sparrow survey in 2002 highlighted population fall in the Capital – in centre especially

Recent research PhD study, Leicester (Kate Vincent) Nestboxes: urban-suburban-rural N esting success, environmental and habitat variables, chick condition and diet High chick mortality and reduced post-fledging survival Chick mortality linked to inadequate invertebrate availability, also NO 2 from traffic Suggests management of urban green spaces (away from roads) to promote invertebrate abundance

London study Volunteers feeding mealworms for chicks in gardens Increased chick survival Small increase in adult population – seed food supply has recently increased this Shown food as a limiting factor Ongoing RSPB research

London House Sparrow Parks Project Trials of different management prescriptions in parks -Measuring: - invertebrate numbers and diversity - amount of seed available - bird use of plots - house sparrow productivity Designing measures that can be easily incorporated into park management

Trials Running over three years Trial plots: - long grass (uncut over winter) - wildflower meadow (native plants sown, traditional haymeadow management) - ‘wildlife seed mix’ (adapted wild bird cover) Control areas: - ‘normal’ amenity grass management

London House Sparrow Parks Project Partnership with local authorities and other land management organisations in London City of London Corporation Islington Borough Council Lee Valley Regional Park Authority The Royal Parks Agency Southwark Council Sutton Council Wandsworth Borough Council Camden Borough Council

Funding The project has gratefully received funding from SITA Trust, through the Landfill Communities Fund Additional funding from ICB and Northern Trust