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This is the motivational and inspirational story of "Lintu" a female sparrow that was born with small wings and also a call for the conservation of Sparrows.
Some months ago I shared a post about my "Oak tree" thriving after the heat waves of the Summer to regrow green and strong. I wanted to make a little update that it is still green and refusing to shed leaves even if it's almost November.
Here a reminder of that post https://hive.blog/hive-148441/@yidneth/my-suuri-tammi-big-oak-a-lesson-of-endurance-and-strength-that-i-hope-you-find-motivating-mighty-mystical-oaks-in-my-region-old
But I'm here today with ANOTHER story of endurance
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During the most extreme days of heat this Summer, a frail little sparrow chick appeared in my garden. It was awfully hot and she was gasping in the heat. Her wings were underdeveloped and her head was bigger than normal. There were several fledglings that had hatched that season, and I had heard the chirps, but when I spotted her it became really apparent that her proportions were different than the other baby birds that soon fledged away while she remained bound to the garden, unable to fly.
So that's how she become a resident in the garden and we ended up giving her the name "Lintu" (bird in Finn).
At the beginning she was too confident and honestly so thirsty she couldn't wait for her food and water. She soon befriended a limping dove that also took shelter in the garden. So cute, sometimes they would even cuddle in company.
But she was the happiest when the other sparrows would return to play with her and I always had the hope she could recover.
Despite all odds... she did!
We learned that she was suffering from a syndrome called "angel wings" in which some birds have smaller wings and cannot fly. Even if sparrows eat mostly grain and seeds, they need protein and insects too when they are chicks. We also had hope she would recover to an extent because she was young and case seemed mild enough (though she was not able to fly but to fledge only) so we started to feed her a nutritious mix of seeds and oats.
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It was inspiring to see her grow stronger every day. The other sparrows would come and visit her and she would be like "the little boss around" showing everybody where the food was. As she interacted more with her own she became more skittish, and it was hard for me but also I felt happy and relieved her instincts of self protection were kicking in.
She made her shelter in the bushes and would still see her every day for months.
After some while Lintu started to be able to hover in the air for longer periods, and even venture out of the garden to the roof and trees.
Here Lintu interacting with friends
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Now she's fully recovered and I can barely distinguish her from the many other feathery visitors. I'll never know if she's among them, sometimes I think I do. But even if Nature would have likely discarded her, she was lucky to be born in a protected space. I'm just happy I gave her the chance.
Above: Lintu and her recovery journey. Here you can still see there's something wrong with her wings.
Maybe now she's almost indistinguishable from the other female sparrows but I like to think she's ok. And her resilience has also been a humble inspirational lesson to watch, in all honest.
I have my own battles :) yet as my little oak thrived, a this little sparrow thrived... so I shall :)
Wild Sparrows populations are on the decline
The common sparrow (Passer domesticus)
It is estimated that one sixth of the populations of sparrows have disappeared since the 80s but the decline in cities is even more palpable. They have been traditionally very ubiquitous both in cities and countryside, and most don't tend to see this "very common" bird as threatened but truth is that the truth is that there has been a sharp decline in their numbers that doesn't allow the generational replacements, especially in towns and cities. The change of farming practices, pesticides, or lack of fields in the outskirts, the lack of proper nutritious foods (in cities they tend to eat many carbohydrates and left overs from humans that don't have the proteins they need), and even air and noise pollution, have made them prone to disease. It has also been speculated that cell phone towers might be affecting eggs fertility. Though there is published research like that of Indian Ministry of Environments and Forests in 2011 and the Department of Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology, Loyola College (2013) that show some level of correlation on small animals and though they remain inconclusive and are still in debate as the EMR radiation from the towers is non ionizing and harmless and there is a lot of unbiased sensationalism around this but also serious research trying to dispel such doubts.
All in all, I dread of "quiet springs" and the day the chirps of sparrows are going silent. So just rising a little awareness and kindness.
Sparrows are what are called "sentinel" species, so their unfavorable progress also reflects the deterioration of environment. Loss of habitat, lack of proper safe nesting places, food, water and air and noise pollution has halved the populations in towns. Invertebrates are declining 8 times faster affecting of course birds that rely on them (including sparrows as younglings). Though they have historically coexisted with us, in some major cities there has been a 90% decline compared to 40 years ago. Average is that their presence at least has halved in cities, retreating to outskirts and fields.
In London for example 95% of the population has been decimated in the last 40 years :( the city losing 70% of its sparrows between 1994 and 2001 alone.
World Sparrow Day is celebrated March 20th, but I didn't want to wait until then to rise awareness about them, as I wanted to share the inspirational story of "Lintu"
Saving the house sparrows
)Providing water and feeders with a good balanced mix of seeds, oats...Do not use pesticides in your yards and gardens. Even a balcony is suitable for a little gathering. Keeping water stations, not only for drinking but for them to bathe, specially when there are no other water sources. Many birds indeed die of thirst as climate change has made steady water sources more unpredictable. This is pivotal even more during the more frequent heatwaves. Also, this is important, keep on doing it regularly. Replenish with clean water and food, as some of them may have flown miles to quench their thirst and hunger in your yard knowing there is usually available there.
Rewilding the sides of the roads and hedges. Plant trees in your yards that they can use for shelter. Trees are also good for them to mate and socialize.
Provide bird houses or boxes and adequate nesting spaces and safe materials they can use for nesting. Try not to interfere or manipulate them. Leave them some space :) and just observe.
Above all let's be aware of the decline of birds and delving deeper how it is unleashing a dim reflection of what is happening to our planet. Biodiversity holds a frail balance and we meddled too much.
One of the good things I remember about the pandemics lockdowns were how without less cars, plants growing a bit wildly in the edges of the road, and the peaceful silence of less circulating cars and noise pollution brought the cheerful tweets back.
And just enjoy life unfurling and thriving in little havens of safety you provide
Mythology of sparrows: Significance, symbolism and folklore
Sparrows, like other birds like crows, are what in mythology is called "psycho-pomps" (from Greek "guide of souls") assisting in the transition of souls to the after life and messengers between the living and the other world. We even find this in ancient Egypt hieroglyphs so sparrows were to carry the spirits once leaving Earth.
Many sailors would tattoo a sparrow on their body with the believe their soul would be carried by them if they were to perished at sea. That is why many also consider them an omen, mostly in Europe (yet this is only folklore). Their muted brownish colors always made them be regarded as "common" birds, yet I think they're beautiful.
But in other countries they're symbols of good luck, prosperity, marriage.
In Indonesia and China it is believed by some that if a sparrow flies into a house, is a symbol of good luck, fortune, marriage or birth.
Sparrows are also a symbol of love and sacred birds for Greek Goddess Aphrodite.
In Japan they're a symbol of kindness
In native American tribes, sparrows are considered a good omen and a symbol of resourcefulness
Be kind to the little feather friends
And if possible take some action to protect them
Do you often spot sparrows where you live?
And hope you found this article inspiring :) and know that "Lintu"'s odds maybe didn't look promising, yet she thrived :)
Other frequent visitors in my garden are European robins (Erithacus rubecula) and Wag tails (Motacilla Alba)
Oh and not to break tradition :) of course there is a "fufunchi" in this post.
Here is a little cheeky mouse that also joined the feast :) This little mouse was enjoying some of the grains too...
Show compassion and kindness to animals. We have taken so much from them, it's our time to give them back.
I've been humming a lot "Feed the Birds" (a song from the movie Mary Poppins of late" so I might as well compile footage from my garden and do a cover of this song.
Come feed the little birds
Show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you
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And to wrap up the post, the name "Lintu" as I said means "bird" and yes some years ago I sung this Finn lullaby "Nuku Nuku Nurmilintu" which is more or less (sleep sleep little bird). Nurmilintu is an endearing word also used for babies as it's a lullaby, but the whole song depicts birds and a wagtails which also often visit my garden during the winter months.
You can rewatch that song here. I shared it when I released it but last week I added the translation in captions. It sings about a bird and other birds bringing moss and things for the little bird to sleep. Found it fitting to wrap up the article with some of my music
With appreciation for our feathery friends
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com
Wow that was beautiful, I almost shed a little tear...
Listen, you guys are pretty smart, much smarter than most people. Couldn't you use your scientific background to good use and build a 3d printed wing, like in the movie How To Train A Dragon?
And if not, the little sparrow totally deserve a spot on the couch next to a heater during the cold winters 😁
The little mouse was a nice bonus!
I saw her today. She still has s big head and thin body but she flies. I cannot tell how well but she comes and goes with the flick now. I saw her today ❤️ as she lived in the garden long she is the little fierce confident one that pucks the closest oats
A lovely ode to sparrows, and a sad one. The world seems to be ending right now. Sparrows always felt so commonplace you know, and there's other rarer prettier birds to take our attention but the sparrow is also beautiful in its own right. My father in law, who is an avid bird watcher and a member of RSPB in England, loves the sparrow most of all. Here it is other native birds that are endangered - we plant for them and leave water out.
Tagging @fotostef and @clareartista for this one, who gifted me their own bird stories this week.
Sparrows have always been see as the brownish "peasants" I think they are beautiful and resourceful and sadly we took them for granted. If this little post rises awareness I am happy. About "Lintu" she set an example to me,thriving against the odds
Jeez...Talk about a party pooper 😄
we have to take care of them and all the species on our planet, they all deserve love and respect, nature has given us a lot, we should return that love by taking care of her and her little animals
This is awesome and we have to reciprocate the love nature has given us. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day
I totally agree. We have to give animals what we have taken away from them. It is only fair. Humankind is so greedy we have made ourselves the owners of the planet. But it's just a shared home.
Yeah, it's a shared home and we have to let the love go round.
Indeed, it is time we give back for what is given
Sure 👍
Here the sparrows and the bluebirds battle it out for the bird houses. We have so many sparrows here, we cheer for the bluebirds. The bluebirds won this year for the best house. But many years it's the sparrows.
Hearing my town we have still quite a lot of them because I live very close to the fields. But not this many as we had 10 years ago. Lintu has been a lesson to me. Little one had so much courage and will to live
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