22 January 2018
„WRÓBELKOWO”
On 20 March 2018 at 10 am we invite children from primary schools and kindergartens to “Wróbelkowo” (Sparrow House) in Pottery Village in Kamionka for greeting spring. Together we will observe sings of spring (storks, spring flowers), learn about protected plants. For the most persistent there will be an Easter outdoor game on the premises of Paradise Garden.
In spring 200 sparrows will come back here.
Sparrow is a bird which is probably connected with people the longest. It is believed that it colonized human settlements several thousand years ago. It was one of the first birds which was methodically described and given species name by Carl von Linné, the father of systematics. Primarily – Fringilla domestica, and later – Passer domesticus (in Latin passer means small and active bird, domesticus – domestic).
Sparrow – species of a small sedentary bird that lives on almost all continents, one of the most prevalent species in the world. It did not settle only in Greenland. Primarily it was a bird of semi-deserts and steppes, it probably comes from the Arabian Peninsula and Asia Minor where 10 thousand years ago it joined humans. It can be found in places where people live. In the times of the king Augustus II the Strong the domestic sparrow could not be found in Poland. In the 19th and the 20th century it belonged to the most common species that could be found in Poland. In 2004 the house sparrow was taken under strict species protection. At the moment there are around 7 million couples living in Poland.
Sparrow in tradition and history. Sparrows were birds of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love. They were found in literature and folk stories. They have a special place in the Bible (Psalm 103,17) symbolizing, according to Cassiodorus, monks and their humility, and with their tireless voice sparrows praise the Lord and lead heavenly life imitating angels. The bird can also be found in the Book of Leviticus in which two sparrows were sacrificed in order to heal leprosy. According to Cyril from Alexandria alive sparrow signified valuable blood of a singing Temple – the Christ.
House of sparrow. Sparrows live in building openings, tree hollows, nesting boxes, nests of storks, nests in a shape of a sphere made of straw, grass, rootlets, padded out with feathers, and with a side entrance. In order to decorate their houses sparrows also use colorful pieces of fabric and papers.
Menu of a sparrow. The bird feeds most of all on all plant seeds, sometimes even insects.
Life of a sparrow. A sparrow lays 2-4 eggs a year and 5-6 eggs of different tincture from white to brown with spots. Litter is spread through time – it occurs from April to August. Eggs are laid for about 2 weeks by the female and when hatchlings appear the male returns to the nest and together with the female they look for food. At the beginning it is insects, caterpillars, and after a few days – seeds and crumbs. Hatchlings leave the nest after around 17 days. The life expectancy of a sparrow is 10 years. The oldest known wild sparrow was from Denmark and it lived for 19 years and 9 months.
Measurements of a sparrow: on average – length of body is 14-15 cm, wingspan is around 20-22 cm, length of beak is 1,3 cm, body weight is around 24-30 g.
Sparrow’s Day. On 20 March we celebrate International Sparrow’s Day. On 1 April we celebrate International Day of Birds (established in 1906), and on the second weekend of May we celebrate International Day of Migratory Bird.
Hanna Łochocka „Elemelek Sparrow and a tater”
Once upon a time Elemelek sparrow found a tater in a field quite narrow. Not too small, not too big, but perfect to eat.
But the tater was still raw, should he eat it – no. It would be much better if he baked it with some cheddar.
Elemelek strikes a spark, found some leafs in the nearby park, put some twigs from a spire and surprise – there’s a fire.
And the tater – smells so good, baking in a burning wood, getting bigger with each second, eating will be very pleasant.
Elemelek cannot wait no more, but the tater’s still quite raw. Wants to eat it right away, such a tater is gourmet.
Elemelek flaps its wings, fells so hot, now it stings. Though the blister is quite small, hurts real bad, hence the squall.
There’s a drugstore in the forest, Elemelek is in torrents. He lifts his wings, begins to soar and rushes to the woody drugstore.
In the drugstore there’s a crow, very smart, a real pro. Dressed in white, clean smock, but her hearing has a block. An ear trumpet by her side, makes her look quite dignified.
-I need something for my burn.
-You’re in pain. Oh, I yearn. I’ll get something for purgation, stomach won’t feel irritation.
-It’s not my stomach, my dear crow. It’s my wing, just like so. I’ve got blister, can’t you see?
-Something’s wrong with your teeth? Though I have lots of cures, see the dentist, that’s for sure.
Sparrow thought – that’s a toughie – sits on counter, a bit scruffy. Shows the blister on his wing: – Help me, crow. It really stings.
The crow examined it from every side, took some chamomile and applied: – This herb will help to heal. Than starts to write the bill: – That’ll be four pennies, whenever you’re ready.
The blister held on for three whole days, but the compress helped in so many ways. The blister gave out, no more stress. All thanks to wonderful compress.
So now when Elemelek bakes his tater, he patiently waits, he’ll eat it later.
