Sparrows On Porch

Elijah Clark · Sun Nov 27, 2016 9:54 pm

Last week I caught a sparrow in my trap which died for some unknown reason a few hours later while still in the trap. Ever since it died I haven't had a sparrow come even close to it. I also heard from a state trapper who was once hired to control an over population of vultures that he put a few dead birds under their roost with their wings spread out and they completely abandoned the roost. I was thinking that if this is the cause for the disappearing of the sparrows, would it be possible to use his technique and put dead sparrows on the porches of houses and gourds and cause them to abandon the place? If so, has anyone tried this method and had success with it?
Thanks,
Elijah

MamaBruff · Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:01 pm

I don't think it will work during nesting season, when hormones are raging and the urge to nest is irresistible... I tried something similar to what you are describing... Once, I had a male HOSP claim an empty BB house in prime season. I then caught another male HOSP in a BB house trap in another area of my property, and placed his body on top of the HOSP 1's claimed BB house, to see what would happen. HOSP 1 stayed away for a few minutes, then came back to his claim. He cheeped and cheeped next to his deceased kin for awhile, then kicked him off the house. I replaced the dead bird a couple more times with the same results. Then put a trap into the claimed house, and HOSP 1 was soon captured. Remember these HOSP will build their nest over a dead bird's body and nest. A body of their own kind in the way should make no difference. So keep trapping over the winter, and you'll have less to deal with come spring. I've not had luck with Purple Martins over the last 4 years, but have gotten to know the wily enemy HOSP quite well.

Elijah Clark · Wed Dec 07, 2016 1:31 pm

Hey Mary,
Darn, thought I was close to finding a cure

They eventually came back to the trap after a few days and I now have two little males acting as decoys and I'm sure many more will follow their fate

Ravens5281 · Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:18 pm

Hey I've got a caged funnel trap & caught 3 females one morning & got rid of them!! Then nothing for 3 days! Then finally got 2 males & there was about 15 sparrows all together. Got rid of them & having had anything for a while now what am I doing wrong? I put white bread in & out by the entrance holes but not sure what to do.

Thanks Stu III