Sparrows Signal New Home

when nature is sparse, street signs and schoolyards make the perfect nest-at least on the upper west side. a family of house sparrows has joined the latest slew of animals to find shelter in the neighborhood. this past week, a family of ducks migrated from a schoolyard to a central park pond. but these sparrows have chosen something a little less accessible: the inside of a yellow crosswalk signal with a side hole the size of a golf ball, as reported by the new york post. but don't expect these aggressive little birds to stay too long. once the chicks have grown enough, which could happen in as little as two weeks, they'll be on their way. perhaps this explains the recent spate of broken crosswalk signals that simultaneously flash "walk" and "don't walk."