Sparrows in the Hedge (gouache style)

House sparrows live alongside people almost everywhere. The male has a grey crown, chestnut nape and a black bib that varies in size, while the female is a plainer streaky brown with a pale stripe behind the eye. They're sociable birds, living in noisy colonies, chattering from hedges and taking dust baths together. They've regularly topped the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, but their numbers have fallen sharply since the 1970s.

Sparrows nest in holes and gaps under roofs and eaves, often close together, so a sparrow terrace with three 32mm entrance holes suits them, fixed high under the eaves. Plant a thick hedge of privet, hawthorn or beech for year-round shelter, and avoid cutting it between March and August. Adults eat mostly seeds, but chicks need insects, so native plants and a patch of long grass help. In winter, offer seed mixes and sunflower hearts, and keep feeders clean.

House sparrows sit among green hedge leaves dotted with small white flowers. A hedge in leaf and in flower is full of life, giving cover, insects and a place to gather. The picture keeps the sparrows where they're happiest, deep in a thick hedge, the kind of spot where a whole group can chatter out of sight.