Country Life

‘DISAPPEARING sparrows, cockatiels who whistle the 1812 Overture, a north-south ornithological divide…the papers have been full of bird stories in recent weeks.

‘It’s a lovely area, but the property prices are ridiculous’

And this morning the Telegraph has more news of our feathered friends, with a report that urban songbirds are raising the pitch of their voices to make themselves heard about the city roar.

‘But the sounds of city life may be harming the chaffinch, dunnock and other birds, whose vocal range is unable to soar above the din,’ it says.

Now, we at Anorak do not profess to being experts when it comes to matters ornithological.

So perhaps someone can explain to us why, if city life is so bad, these birds don’t just pack up their nests and move to the country.

It’s not as if they’ve got jobs in the city or they don’t want to upset their fledglings by taking them out of school.

There are, we are led to believe, plenty of trees in the country and plenty of bass parts for a dunnock to take in his local choir.

Just a thought… ‘

Posted: 17th, July 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink