House sparrow decline linked to air pollution and poor diet

(Frontiers) House sparrows are well-adapted to living in urban areas, so it is surprising their numbers have fallen significantly over the past decades. An investigation by Spanish researchers into this worrying trend, published in open-access journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, finds that sparrows living in urban areas are adversely affected by pollution and poor nutrition. The study also finds the birds suffer more during the breeding season, when resources are needed to produce healthy eggs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2hKNQOd