The bet that saved a species of sparrow from extinction

The grasshopper sparrow was saved from extinction by taking the last breeding pairs to breed them in captivity and then reintroduce them back into the wild.

• Florida's 1,000th grasshopper sparrow has been released into the wild
• Captive breeding and reintroductions have saved the sparrow from extinction
• New agricultural techniques are helping and improving its habitat

Florida researchers are celebrating a very important event:in recent weeks a small grasshopper sparrow was released into the wild, the thousandth of a project that has allowed its species to save themselves from extinction.

The grasshopper sparrow saved from extinction

In Florida, in the central regions of the state, until 2015 there was present - only in this area - a rare species of sparrow, The Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus).Then habitat loss it pushed the entire species on the brink of extinction.For this reason various authorities and research groups have tried everything capturing the last breeding pairs and for raise them in captivity, with the hope that a controlled repopulation program would be more effective than leaving the birds in the wild. This risky gamble paid off:the thousandth captive-bred bird has been released into the wild, helping to increase the population which is now stabilising, reversing the trend towards survival.This program, in collaboration with the commission Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC), saved the grasshopper sparrow from extinction.“By removing the last breeding specimens, we feared accelerating their extinction;so it was incredibly rewarding to see these birds survive and reproduce in the wild,” are the words of Adrienne Fitzwilliam, chief researcher at the FWC research institute.

The numbers are good but not yet enough

The releases, which began in 2019, occurred in three main sites, where monitoring groups observed the birds as they acclimated to the new territory.The birds bred in captivity, once they reached 40 days of age, were ready to be released and, to the amazement of the researchers, the sparrows they established themselves very quickly inside their new homes.At the Avon Park military range, south of Orlando, where the thousandth bird was released, this year researchers recorded 16 nesting pairs and 30 “singing” males looking for a partner.In the Three Lakes area, the program's first release site, where there were once only 11 pairs, observers found count 40, with 68 males, and hope to spot more by the end of the breeding season.Although the numbers are encouraging, according to scientists, the sparrow population is not yet stable enough to be declared safe, However, the program's success has renewed hope that it is no longer critically endangered.

New agricultural practices to contribute to the success of the program

Florida grasshopper sparrows, as the name suggests, feed primarily on grasshoppers and seeds.According to the FWC, the loss of large areas of grasslands, converted into agricultural fields, has significantly reduced their habitat and consequently their numbers.Isolated and protected lands, such as the military range, where public access is prohibited, allow sparrows to nest and search for food almost undisturbed.FWC program partners, including Audubon, White oak conservation and the Fish and Wildlife foundation of Florida (Fwf), are investigating additional land management practices that could potentially be beneficial to sparrows, such as cutting with rollers, which prepares the ground for controlled burns and promotes faster regeneration of native grasses.In reference to this practice, in the last two years, and until 2025, nesting success is being monitored in the areas treated with roller cutting, to evaluate whether the impact of predators is reduced, which seems to be the main problem for the nests.

The great return of the sparrow to the Florida prairies represents a great sign of hope; because commitment, collaborations and a holistic approach can save vulnerable wildlife on the brink of extinction.