I don't even get sparrows. They are getting rarer so I've heard. Apparently they always attack yellow crocus flowers, tho' I've no idea why. Sorry, not much help. Perhaps someone else will have some ideas about your problem.

Sat here watching the sparrows attacking the flowers on Viburnum x bonantense. Think they are after greenfly rather than anything else.

Our sparrow population dropped when the starlings made it over to the USA. Now I am beginning to see fewer starlings and more sparrows. Agree, if a sparrow is picking at a plant the reason is it is looking for insects.

Put somebird foodout and they my leavethe plants alone..

Not always insects i think - sparrows seem to eat yellow crocuses, insects or not!
We used to string lengths of black thread criss crossed over them which worked.

Oh my Dad used to get cross about that!
They must like yellow.....

Suet pellets and seed go well here. And niger seed for the goldfinches

Many, many sparrows in my garden. No shortage at all ! The sparrows are interesting to watch and are welcome garden residents, except in springtime when they attack the petals on my aubrieta .... purple and mauve colours. I've not yet found any useful ways to protect the aubrieta.

thanks everyone, they are definitely not after insects, straight in and take stem off???

Alun ... if you'd like more response from different members, you could write about the sparrows in a blog.