The resourceful European House Sparrow
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A tale of two sparrows as the New Year approaches...
Dusky Seaside Sparrow
Once found mainly on Florida's Merritt Island, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow had its salt marsh habitat sprayed with DDT and cleared so it could be taken over by the space program in the 1960s. "Someone thought Merritt Island should be flooded to deal with the mosquito problem at the Kennedy Space Center," writes Robert J. Waller. "The water rose and took their nests." By 1979, only five male Duskies remained and were brought to Disney World's Discovery Island to live out their remaining days. Within seven years, the only remaining Dusky was a small male nicknamed "Orange Band."
"He became blind in one eye, became old for a sparrow, and yet he persisted as if he knew his sole task was to sustain the bloodline as long as possible," says Waller. "I wondered if he felt sorrow or excruciating panic at the thought of his oneness." On June 18, 1987, Orange Band died. Waller writes:
"The day Orange Band died there was a faint sound out there in the universe, hardly noticeable unless you were expecting it and listening. It was a small cry, the last one, that arched upward from a cage in Florida. If you were listening closely though, you could hear it."
If you listen closely now you might hear:
WATCH VIDEO: Releasing a Caged Bird
European House Sparrow
In 1853, the future founders of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden set free several pairs of the previously unknown European House Sparrow inside Brooklyn's Green-wood Cemetery. By picking hayseeds out of horse droppings from the carts used for funerals, these tiny birds flourished and are today one of the continent's most ubiquitous creatures.
In other words: When all they feed us is horseshit, it's up to the eco-aware crowd to pick out the hayseeds that enable us to not only survive, but to thrive.
So...which sparrow will we be in 2010?
3 Ways to Be Like the European House Sparrow
Horse Droppings: An economy in recession with a seemingly endless supply of money for the military.
Hayseed: Capitalize on situation by giving yourself a "green bailout" and choosing a more frugal lifestyle.
Horse Droppings: So-called "All-Natural" foods
Hayseed: Truly go natural by opting for a plant-based, locally-grown, organic diet.
Horse Droppings: Hope and Change still feels like Shock and Awe
Hayseed: Even though Obama is just another politician, it is striking how many supported him solely on the promise of change. Americans want change but the trick is getting out the word that real change is possible.
Spread Your Wings
9 Human Activities That Threaten Birds and Why We Need to Effect Change Now
Green Glossary: Hayseeders
