Building Community
If the house sparrows had their way, all the bird seed in our feeder would be gone in a few hours. The first time they appeared, my guesstimate is that there were approximately 30 of them. It is hard to be precise, because they don’t exactly gather in straight lines with the tallest in the back like you might do in taking a group picture. Sometimes we as humans are at our worst when we get together in large groups, letting the most disruptive and self-absorbed setting the standard for all the rest as is evidenced in one of our national political parties. This dynamic seems to be the case for house sparrows. One or two sparrows at the bird feeder and they appear to be mindful of their manners and in general make room for other birds. But, get a bunch of them together and any sense that bird seed is to be shared with other birds is totally lost in the competitive and consumptive demands of a flock that wants to get as much as it can while the getting is good. Wings flap, bird seeds fly about, much of it on the ground, and before you know it the bird seed is gone, leaving nothing for the robins, chickadees, gold finch or wrens that opt to stay away from this ungoverned capitalist melee.
As the one flipping the bill for the bird seed, I found this unseemly behavior unacceptable. As one does these days, I looked on the internet for solutions. One suggestion, which I immediately implemented, was to hang mono-filament fishing line around the bird feeder. Apparently, there is something unnerving about the line for house sparrows while other birds ignore it all together. Almost immediately balance was restored to the feeder. A few sparrows at a time would venture in, but so too did other birds. The flock of overly competitive sparrows, devouring, wasting, leaving nothing for other birds, stayed away. The fishing lines helped create a space where there is enough for all. It is the avian equivalent of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
In recent years, DEI has been under attack, particularly by those who benefit from this bird feeder free for all. Initiatives trying to address past imbalances in resources and accessibility are labeled woke, as if that designation is an automatic disqualifier. One can certainly argue that when it comes to DEI there may be excesses, perhaps a few more fishing lines strung from the feeder than is needed. But, we see firsthand the harmful consequences of removing norms and regulations that bring balance and fairness into our shared lives. It should come as no surprise that affordability is an issue when so many people are scrounging for what’s left after those with the most access and resources have had their fill.
In our yard, there is enough for the sparrows to eat and feed their young, but there is also sufficient seed for all the other birds whose songs we
enjoy. When we value diversity, equity and inclusion, it creates space for all to share.
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