World Sparrow Day observed on March 20

Key facts

• World Sparrow Day is observed annually on March 20 to raise awareness and encourage conservation efforts for the house sparrow.
• The initiative was first introduced in 2010 by Nature Forever, a bird conservation organisation in India, and has expanded to 50 countries.
• The house sparrow was designated as the official state bird of Delhi in 2012.
• Environmental conservationist Jagat Kinkhabwala launched the Save The Sparrow campaign, which received support from Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in 2017.
• A 2025 Press Information Bureau (PIB) statement highlighted the efforts of Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Brij Lal, who established 50 nests for sparrows at his home.
• The house sparrow plays a vital role in ecological balance by regulating insect populations and assisting in pollination and seed dispersal.
• The decline in the sparrow population is attributed to habitat loss, excessive pesticide usage, pollution, industrialisation, and modern building designs that lack nesting spaces.