Sparrow Problem

[Brent]

I have a real problem with English Sparrows. Must have a couple hundred of them messing everything up. Even have one smart one that spends the night in the garrage doing his thing on my truck all night, then leaving in the morning when I open the door. I've tried owl decoys, bebe gun, silver streamers, rousting them out of the trees they perch in just before dark but none of it works. Even borrowed a propane cannon from a friend. That kept them away as long as it was here all day but it also brought the sheriff wanting to know what I was doing. Must have a PETA member in the neighborhood! Anybody have a solution other than burning the place down?

[Don McCombs]

Brent,

I see that you have horses and probably some waste grain, feed and horse manure around where the sparrows can get at it. The first step is to eliminate as much of the food source as possible. No food, no sparrows. With that done, you might try to trap what birds remain. I haven't personally used the following trap, but I've heard that they work. Might be worth a try. Good luck.

http://www.sparrowtraps.net/

[John(videodoc)]

you tried those plug in rodent devices they got at most hard ware stores. ive heard tell they work for birds as well.

[Merlin]

I'm not sure how to get rid of them. I have a Starling problem sometimes. I put my Marten boxes up Sunday and I saw a couple of Starlings eyeballing them today. A lot of them around here die of lead poisoning.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

local horse folks here used to make a trap:

Bore a couple of 1 1/4" holes in a plastic 5 gallon bucket. Put feed in the bucket. The sparrows fly in, gorge themselves, and cannot get back out of the bucket. You drill the holes near the top of the bucket, and put a lid on it, and put about 1" of feed in the bottom.

You can hang the bucket trap up in your trusses.

The birds ultimately die of thirst, after about a week. I've seen it work.

Bury dead birds in your potato patch. They make good fertilizer.

[jakeesspoo]

good luck i have the same problem in my barn. I use a bb gun to shoot them and will probally eventually knock my eye out or crack a windshield. I dont really think you can win with them. I learned to keep anything you really want clean covered....

[johnbron]

Brent I had the same problem with birds "Crappin" on My car. I park My little convertible grocery-getter in a 45 foot reefer trailer (garage) to keep it out of the weather and it was always getting s**t on so much to the point I had to clean the windshield before each use. I solved that problem a year ago by going to Wal-Mart and buying a Horned Owl replica that is in the garden section. I hung that Owl at the back door entrance to the trailer and My little car has been Bird S**t free ever since.

[Cub-Bud]

I have heard of hanging up a strobe light and turning it on. After a few days, no sparrows.

http://www.bird-x.com/products/blite.html

[George Willer]

I never have a sparrow problem here, except for those that claim my bluebird boxes and clean out the feeders. For the barn, I just keep the doors closed.

[W6NZ]

I just keep the doors closed.
_________________

Seems to me that's the only way to keep some control of the blighters.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

Seems to me that's the only way to keep some control of the blighters.

Oh, no. Don't tell me that English Sparrows have invaded Kiwiland as well?

Well, we can thank our common English parentage for being able to speak to each other from opposite sides of the earth, but the English could have kept their Rats, and their Sparrows.

Perhaps, if we trapped sufficient quantities of live specimens of both, and sent them, via post, to England, we could enlist the UK's help in dealing with these 2 menaces. Or at least we'd feel a lot better, anyway.

[Phillip W. Lenke]

Brent

My friend and I have been struggling with them on our blue bird trail and martin houses for years. They will get into the boxes peck the young Bluebirds/Martins to death then, Build right over the top of them. I spent a couple summers eliminating them and when I saw another male come in, the shotgun came out,They are sneaky after a while. The key is to " Get the males." they are the territory holders,keep food stuffs to a minimum. Get all the young removed before they fledge. and above all else good old persistance. You will thin them greatly. But like I say" GET THE MALES". Black markings on their faces.
Good luck, Up Hill Battle. Won't eliminate them completelty but you will get them thinned. Keep at them.
Phil

[phantom]

sounds to me like you got good advice, but my sparrow problem ended when i baited ordinary 4 way mouse traps with bread. great source for cat food too.

[John(videodoc)]

stay away from the BB gun, i did that as a kid in our shed, and ended up having to fill all the holes in the tin with caulk. use other methods. unless you like climbing roofs.

[Brent]

I bought a pellet rifle at Wal-Mart yesterday with a scope. Once I got it sighted in the war started. That little bugger is really accurate. After about fifteen they wouldn't come around any more but they'll be back today. At that rate, I should have them thinned out some. I was talking to a friend and he mentioned that the power company installed CD players in their substations that play Hawk calls. They've had good results in keeping the ravens and other nesting birds out. I'm going to call today and see what's up. We have a substation near by so I took a ride over on the horse and sure enough I could here the Hawk calls. Didn't see any birds either.