TOKYO - For seven years, a photographer known as biggate4444 (@biggate43) has been capturing the charming sight of sparrows and sharing them on social media. During this cold season, many of these birds puff up into adorable round shapes to keep warm, a phenomenon fondly referred to as "fukura suzume" (inflated sparrows).
Biggate4444's posts feature these fluffy, plump sparrows, drawing excitement from sparrow enthusiasts with comments like "It's so clever to show off its throat," "So round and too cute," and "Such a beautiful silhouette."
"When I first saw it, it looked like a ball," remarks biggate4444, who hails from Shikoku Chuo City. It was this "sparrow ball," as they're affectionately called, that initially captivated biggate4444. "A friend told me that sparrows puff up in the winter, and I was shocked at how much they resembled balls when I saw them that day. Since then, sparrows have become something special to me." The first photo biggate4444 shared this year was, fittingly, an inflated sparrow. "Seeing them puff up and hop around energetically is incredibly soothing!!" they express their love for sparrows.
When asked about a particularly memorable sparrow encounter, biggate4444 shares, "I remember seeing a sparrow perched on a branch, basking in the sunlight, looking very comfortable. With the mild winter, it might be easier for the sparrows." According to biggate4444, sparrows don't always puff up during winter; they do so when the temperature drops, so encountering an inflated sparrow this year might be a stroke of luck given the warmer conditions.
On biggate4444's social media, one can enjoy various poses of sparrows, from those giving the camera a curious tilt of the head to groups feasting together—a delightful array of endearing sparrow moments.
Lastly, biggate4444 shares their approach to photography: "Regardless of the bird, it's crucial and polite not to do anything threatening or conspicuous. It's absolutely unacceptable to disturb their daily life. If that's the case, I'm prepared to give up on taking the photo." Sparrows, the most familiar wild birds to us and living in coexistence with humans, are precious creatures. While more people are posting photos of sparrows on social media, it may be biggate4444's consistent attitude of considering the sparrow's perspective that is the key to capturing their natural behavior.
biggate4444's accounts: Twitter (@biggate43) Instagram (@biggate4444) Shop Homepage Book "Nippon Suzume Sanpo" (A Stroll with the Sparrows of Japan)
Source: Oricon
