What's your Starling and Sparrow situation this year?

JMcM · Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:41 am

Just curious what you guys are going through with the starlings and sparrows this season? I've had one pair of starlings that I thought were gonna be a problem but I've not seen them in several days now. Guess there's been enough activity around my place to keep them spooked off so far. I've yet to see a sparrow this year and I hope it stays that way. I had plenty last year. I do have a pair of bluebirds that seem to be trying to nest in new gourds I've put up.

What's y'all's experience this year?

Craig Dyer · Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:52 am

Hi Jeff,

So far this season I have trapped or shot 9 house sparrows (last year disposed of more than forty by season's end). They just keep coming.

Starlings are not a problem. I have crescent entrance holes on all the cavities. The starlings hang around & test all the entrances for the first couple of weeks every season. They eventually become discouraged & move on.

Best of luck to you this season!

Craig

Dan G · Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:47 pm

I have taken out approximately 25 starlings and 35 sparrows since January 1. Decided to keep track this year. Mostly male sparrows because they are easily identified quickly. Do the male sparrows call in their mates, or do the males go to where the females are?
i havent seen one of the flying rats for several days. but I'm watching!!

Kyler · Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:58 pm

I have trapped one House Sparrow so far. Thats it I mean there are none on my houses and last year at this time I have caught about 20 so I dont know. Hope it stays that way.

Starlings I have them in my backyard but I havent seen one on the martin houses yet! Didnt have a probelm last year so probably wont this year either. Hopefully!

Kyler

gray fox · Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:12 am

how can I catch more male house sparrows? I can't use a gun in my area.

Okie · Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:17 am

gray fox wrote:how can I catch more male house sparrows? I can't use a gun in my area.

The males are the ones who search out a nesting spot. They also are the ones that kill PM eggs & hatchlings.
Best way is to get nest box traps in the PM houses. I got 20 or more male sp last year. I also taped some plastic carton lids to make an entrance too small for PM but just right for sp.
PMCA sells the nest box traps. If you have gourds there are gourd traps also.
These must be monitored so you can release a native bird if they get trapped.
Good luck. I can't shoot either. Might also check out Uncle Blaines repeating sparrow trap but last year mainly females in that & mainly males in NBT.

Dan G · Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:21 am

So since I have eliminated a lot more male than female hosp, hopefully I will reduce their reproduction nearby

Okie · Sun Mar 12, 2017 2:34 pm

I forget the numbers I figured from my research, but in short one female can replace everything we eliminate in one season. Everyone say to get the males. Yeah they are the destroyers. But I'm after those females too. I think I figured all the females I eliminated last year prevented somewhere around 400 hatchlings. To me that is just one reason they are so dangerous to our native cavity nesting birds. Along with destroying native eggs & young, they out produce them too.
I may be proved wrong later in nesting season, but I have drastically reduced the number of sp hanging around my yard this winter. Now to keep it that way & make it the same with the starlings. 2016. 140 sp, 11 starlings. Just today 3 starlings swooped down on the Trio to peek in each open box. Too bad they did not do a closer inspection. I had a surprise for them. Rats, maybe next time.
Good luck reducing your numbers.

gray fox · Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:30 pm

traps in barn. I tried bluebird nest box trap. Mice traps and mice glue. Thankful for any other suggestions?

gray fox · Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:38 pm

Any suggestion for trapping in barn? I tried bluebird net box trap. Mice glue and mice traps. Im afraid the h.s. will infiltrate to the gourds about 125 feet from barn.

Insectivore Villa · Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:20 pm

Try making a v top trap, that is what I use. This year I am around 100 plus HOSP and 25 EUST, love that thing, saves me a bundle on 20 gauge #7's. Soon the v top will be useless as they search for nests, then the "regular" traps work better. We live in the country so we use the 20 a lot in the nesting season. Once the # of ASY males gets to around 12-15 at our place, my problems with HOSP and EUST almost stops, the big boys start to defend when "the pack" is a nice size.

gray fox · Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:21 am

where did you get plans for v trap?

Archer · Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:52 am

Did you build the full size v-top or did you down size it. I have often thought a 2x2' v trap should work almost as well as the full size. Do you have a picture you can share? Are you ready at your place for the season to begin?

Bird Brain · Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:43 am

I shot my first HOSP this morning. Last year I probably killed about 15. Ever since my neighbor trimmed his shrubs, the HOSPs have declined alot. His red tips were 15 feet tall and bushy. The HOSPs loved them. But now, not so much. The taller and thicker the shrubs. The more attractive they are to hosp. Next time I notice a neighbor with thick, tall shrubs, I think I will volunteer to trim them for free. I've noticed alot of businesses have tall, bushy shrubs that harbor hosp also.

Insectivore Villa · Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:39 pm

Archer, I down sized it to four by four by five so i could just crawl in catch them that way. Attached a picture for you, low quality from the iPad, sorry, 20 plus EUST inside.
As far as am I ready, not really...taking the two T18's off the barn and putting them with the other three houses, all clustered together tight in the back yard, gonna see how that works. So I have to put in two new 3x3 steel poles and replace the crappy round pole the round house was on. Am considering replacing the two T 10's pulley system with worm gear winches, but after shelling out $500 for steel and $150 for 2 new worm gear winches, I may have to postpone my plans. Need some $ left for spring walleye, crappy, pike, perch fishing...can't give all my money to just one hobby, have to spread it evenly so my budgets get approved for next year as well.

taxidermy lady · Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:57 pm

That's a awesome trap! I could handle that size! Thanks for sharing! Good luck this season!

MichaelH · Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:19 pm

Ordered me a Benjamin marauder last week it came Friday set it up put scopes on it and fire some pellets through it to line up scopes and none of pellets came out barrel oh no I was so annoyed and upset with myself waiting to hear back from pyramid air about returning it not sure if it was the gun or me ,oh I am so annoyed ,you know when you have something and you can't use it darn it and those sparrows and starlings are sat on my gourds just laughing at me ,glad my birds not back yet or I would be even more annoyed ,and the weather is nasty here so hope the martins stay south for another week
Mkck

Okie · Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:24 pm

Could you explain how this works? Bait trap? Put food in & they get in but cannot find their way out?

Rodger Drye · Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:44 pm

Looks like a Great trap that works well.! Thanks for doing your part to help eliminate these pests.!

Insectivore Villa · Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:52 pm

Google "V Top Trap" and you will see a ton of varieties of this type of trap. Yes we bait this when the weather is cold and cruddy, after that, it is pretty much useless. Birds enter through the top and for the most part cannot figure out how to get back out.
Careful, may not be legal in all areas and requires constant monitoring to ensure good birds are not harmed or better yet not even caught in it. We used chicken wire so the finches, juncos, chipping sparrows, etc. can pass through the holes but HOSP and EUST cannot. We have to release the occasional jay but that is about it.
Good luck.