For the first time, an ordinary sparrow was immortalized in the American city of Boston. The inhabitants of the state decided in this way to thank the birds for saving their crops and garden plantings from the invasion of terrible caterpillars. The first settlers in the development of new territories faced an unexpected problem.

Voracious caterpillars destroyed their crops, and there were simply no sparrows on the American continent that could peck them. To save the fields, sparrows were specially imported from Europe. Climatic conditions and the abundance of caterpillars for food contributed to their rapid reproduction. So agricultural land received reliable protection in the form of inconspicuous birds. But not only in distant Boston the sparrow is honored, it is also respected in Belarus.

Appearance of the bronze bird

In the autumn of 2003, in the center of the Belarusian city of Baranovichi, on the square, which is located at the intersection of st. Lenin and Heinola Boulevard, a miniature monument appeared. It was a bronze figurine of a sparrow sitting on a ball attached to a 1.5 meter pedestal.

The unique monument was erected at the initiative of the local city executive committee, because 2003 was declared the year of the house sparrow. The decision of the city executive committee was also supported by the public organization “Protection of Birds of Belarus”.

The project of the monument belongs to the Belarusian sculptor Stanislav Tselyuk. He brought his idea to life, although the residents of the city are sure that in this way a metal ventilation pipe was disguised, sticking out of the ground in the most prominent place of the square.

sparrow monument – city ​​mascot

This bronze bird was so fond of the inhabitants of Baranovichi that it began to be considered something like a city talisman. Often schoolchildren resort to it before passing exams. When the last bell rings, school graduates come to the monument and stroke the sparrow – “for good luck.” But not only school students believe that sparrows bring good luck and fulfillment of desires. Many superstitious townspeople are sure of this.

Lenin Square with a bronze sparrow has become a favorite venue for various actions of environmental organizations to support and protect birds in the city. Since then, every year on March 20, residents and guests of the city gather here to celebrate International Sparrow Day.

In March 2003, a stamp appeared in the postal circulation, which depicts this unusual monument. The central library of the city in 2012 received a gift from the Swiss writer Franz Holer. He came up with “The Tale of the Sparrow” and donated the book to the central library.

Visiting card of the city

Now the monument to the sparrow has become an ornament and landmark of Baranovichi. This is the visiting card of the city, because there are no more monuments to birds in Belarus. The attention of Belarusians to this bird is explained by the fact that the house sparrow is recognized worldwide as a “biological indicator”.

According to the state of the population of the house sparrow, they judge changes in the environment. So, in a number of European countries, this species is on the verge of extinction. But this does not threaten the Belarusian sparrows, although their number today, compared with the 80s of the last century, has almost halved.