Cheryl Tipp, Curator of Wildlife Sounds, writes:

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) was once a familiar sight in both urban and rural regions across Britain. Groups of these stumpy, brown birds could easily be seen flitting through the foliage or clustered together around food supplies. They were even the main ingredient in several old recipes. In recent years however, this once common species has experienced a population decline of more than 65% and their simple, chirping calls are no longer a household sound. A lack of winter food supplies has been identified as a cause of rural declines but it is still unknown what is behind the disappearance of sparrows from urban areas.

http://sounds.bl.uk/View.aspx?item=022M-LISTNAT00192-0001V0.xml

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