踏入雀鳥繁殖季，大家可能會聽到雀仔叫聲，除了「咕姑固」和「升key雀」之外，當然還有城市最常見的雀鳥——「樹麻雀」（俗稱麻雀）！
每年3月20日是「世界麻雀日」，根據香港觀鳥會「全港麻雀普查2023」，本港有逾24萬隻麻雀。你又認識牠們多少呢？
麻雀是樹棲性鳥類，性好社交，不太怕人；喉部及雙頰帶有黑斑點，腳粉紅色。牠們主要以禾本科植物種子為食，如小麥、稻米、玉米、大麥等。不過，在城市生活的麻雀也會吃人類棄置的各種食物殘渣，為雜食性鳥類。而每年3至8月是麻雀繁殖季節，每次大約會產下4至7隻蛋。牠們會用草亂堆成一團成球狀的雀巢，通常於建築物的洞或罅隙內築巢。
事實上，適應力強的麻雀可作為很好的環境指標，其數量變化可以反映環境變化。雖然麻雀被國際自然保護聯盟紅色名錄列為「無危」物種，但據國際鳥盟評估，樹麻雀全球數量呈下跌趨勢。此外，城市麻雀亦面對各種危機，例如鳥撞玻璃、誤中老鼠膠等。
每年，香港觀鳥會都會舉辦「全港麻雀普查」，為本地城市鳥類研究提供重要基礎數據，幫助我們了解樹麻雀的分布和選巢傾向，透過長時間監察了解城市環境變化。
[World Sparrow Day] Sparrow Diary
As we enter the breeding season of birds, you might often hear the chirping of Spotted Doves and Asian Koels throughout the day. Among the various chirping companions in the city, one of the most common and friendly ones is the Eurasian Tree Sparrows (commonly known as the Sparrows)!
Today, 20th March, is World Sparrow Day, and according to the 2023 Hong Kong Sparrow Census, there are more than 240,000 Eurasian Tree Sparrows in Hong Kong. But how much do you really know about them?
Sparrows are arboreal birds, sociable in nature, and not particularly afraid of humans. They have black spots on their throats and cheeks, with pink-colored feet. They are omnivorous birds, primarily feeding on seeds of grasses and cereals such as wheat, rice, corn, and barley. However, as they adapt to urban environments, sparrows gradually consume various food scraps discarded by humans.
The breeding season for sparrows is from March to August, during which they typically lay around 4 to 7 eggs. Their nests are large untidy balls of grass and usually placed in a hole or crevice of a building.
In fact, sparrows, with their strong adaptability, can serve as environmental indicators, as their population changes can reflect environmental changes. Although the Eurasian Tree Sparrows are classified as "Least Concern" species on the IUCN Red List, according to assessments by BirdLife International, the global population of Eurasian Tree Sparrows is declining. Furthermore, urban sparrows also face various crises, such as bird collisions with glass windows and accidental entrapment in rodent glue boards.
Every year, HKBWS organizes the Hong Kong Sparrow Census, providing essential baseline data for local urban bird research. This helps us understand the distribution and nesting preferences of sparrows, while long-term monitoring of their population trends enables us to gain insights into changes in the urban environment.
