The UK Tree Sparrow population crashed dramatically between the 1970’s and 1990’s. There were 30 times more Tree Sparrows in our countryside in the 1970’s than there are now. Tree Sparrows feed their young on invertebrates of wetland margins, and so here at Saltholme, our mosaic of wetlands and scrub provide ideal colony sites. We have 70 nest boxes strategically placed in little colonies for Tree Sparrows. We now know that this year, 24 nest boxes produced 103 fledged Tree Sparrows from the first broods, and 10 pairs went for a second brood producing another 26 young birds. That’s another 129 Tree Sparrows here at Saltholme munching away at our feeding stations.
Tree Sparrows are easily told apart from House Sparrows by their chestnut heads which shows nicely in this photograph by Mark Stokeld. And just now the young birds appear to enjoy nothing more than a dust bath at the visitor centre feeding station, and their amusing antics can be enjoyed from the gallery windows.