The house sparrow was a characteristic feature of Victorian and Edwardian London. Once horse traffic was replaced by motorised vehicles in the 1920s, the ‘Cockney sparrer’ started to decline, almost becoming extinct in London by 2000. There are signs of a resurgence in many parts of London, especially where there are scrubby bushes where they can congregate for protection (‘chapels’) and areas of flowery rough vegetation to support insects they need to feed their chicks in late spring.

Look out for house sparrows on a London Nature Trail at:

• ZSL London Zoo on the walk from Swiss Cottage to King’s Cross

• London Blossom Garden and Wanstead Flats on the walk from Wanstead to Royal Docks