Roosting behaviour of House Sparrows, Passer domesticus at Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University campus in Wayanad, Kerala, India

Due to their common urban status and suspected decline, house sparrows are garnering attention worldwide . Ecological studies, particularly those about roosting behaviour, are scarce compared to the abundance of population studies on this species . We studied the flock of sparrows that roost at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University campus in Wayanad, Kerala, India, with a focus on the environmental factors that affect roosting behaviour . House Sparrows were found to roost in three different flocks on campus . While seasonal variations were noted within the sites, overall abundance did not differ between the sites . Sparrows were found to choose different species of roosting trees and when disturbed, they have been observed to change their roosting locations . It was found that house sparrows gathered at 4:02 PM, pre-roosting at 4:48 PM, and roosting at 5:56 PM . The chirping ceased at 6:08 PM . Environmental variables are known to affect roosting behaviour in sparrows . While light intensity, temperature, and sunset time all had an impact on pre-roosting and roosting behaviour, the assemblage was influenced by the latter . Changes in environmental variables may have an impact on their roosting pattern, which could then have an impact on their fitness in future.