Trapping or Deterring Sparrows

[Bob Rock]

I have two Coates 16 room SREH boxes. I have had these boxes up for the past two years and have not yet attracted nesting Martins. I do have a FEW (one to two pair a year) Sparrows. I check the boxes frequently and destroy the nests. The Sparrows naturally rebuild the nests and I of course, destroy them. The senarieo repeats over and over. I am impressed by the Sparrow's persistance as well as my own.

This year I have spent time researching things that I can do to encourage Martins to nest in my boxes, and I have come across the subject of Sparrow Trapping.

I am curious as to how this works? I see that there are a number of traps available, but I am not sure what happens when one has a Sparrow in a trap. Does one kill the Sparrow or release it in a way that it will not come back? If killing is the final solution, what is the most humane way to do it? How does one responsibly and humanely deal with a Sparrow in a trap?

This year, I plan to close off half of the entry holes and double the size of the nesting cavities in my Coates boxes by opening up the back wall of the closed off cavity. I am also adding 4 Super Gourds with porches to each house. Considering my setup, I would appreciate any advice regarding traps or other Sparrow deterants that will work with my boxes and Gourds.

[MFont]

The easiest way to dispose of a sparrow in the trap is to immerse in a bucket of water. Do not try to relocate them as they will return and often with more friends. See the plans for a repeating trap and also eliminate starlings. If you shoot or kill the male sparrow, his girlfriend will abandon the nest site. I have used .22 pellet guns with 3-9 power scopes and can kill 90% of time at 80 feet. Practice with targets about the size of a quarter.

[Bob Rock]

I was thinking that a bucket of water or something like that was an idea. I'm not allowed to use a firearm (including a BB or Pellet Gun). We are a Bird Sanctuary at Holden Beach. No guns of any kind.

[Bird Brain]

Most municipalities ban pellet guns. Who cares. Use one anyway. They are quiet enough to avoid detection. If bird sanctuary laws protect house sparrows from your pellet gun, then those laws are stupid. Do the right thing and rid your immediate area of aggressive invasive house sparrows. I don't pursue starlings like I do HOSP. I just use SREH entrances. But if I got a clear shot at one, I'll take it. You will be amazed at how the native species will flourish after you have eliminated HOSP. I've been eliminating HOSP for 2 years now. I have 2 bluebirds now in my yard every day. First bluebirds I've seen in 40 years. Coincidence? I don't think so. Your martin success odds go up dramatically as well after eliminating HOSP. If I trap them, I just pull their head off and they die within seconds. When I was a kid, I had to do the same thing to chickens if we wanted fresh chicken. It was a little harder with a chicken. Drowning them is a much slower death than decapitation in my opinion. I'm pretty sure "bird sanctuary" doesn't include HOSP and EUST. If they do, then they are dumb. Don't follow the "all God's creatures" crowd. They are living in Fairy La La Land and singing KUMBAYA. Be a man, and do what needs to be done. That's what this hobby is all about. It could be the reason you succeed, while so many others fail.

[John Miller]

The in-cavity traps sold by the PMCA will work in your Coates House to catch house sparrows.

Easiest way to euthanize a house sparrow is to quick jerk and twist its head, or cervical dislocation. There is a non lethal alternative. You can trim its tail close to the numb and it will fly away and not return. One school teacher uses this method to avoid protests from students. Obviously this method has drawback, but is a tool in our kit.

The presence of a few house sparrows may not reduce your chances of attracting martins, I have concluded, but it's best to eliminate them. House sparrows in residence will reduce the success of martins raising their young. Male house sparrows in between their own clutches go around tossing out martin eggs and newly hatched martin young. (they may also do this in response to having their nests pulled.) You might conclude then that a single pair of house sparrows left alone would do no harm. And that may be true while they are busy raising their own clutch, but their presence attracts more single male sparrows to the house, plus sparrows have three or more clutch per season.

Good luck to you this season in attracting martins.

John M

[JimmyP]

I tried trapping and didn't have much luck! I like the idea of pulling the head off quick easy and painless, these little birds are the most destructive birds I have seen, my colony has flourished since eliminating these guys 37 bit the dust in 2017 LOL. The only good sparrow is a dead sparrow!!! I highly recommend shooting them and forget the rules BB or pellets aint gonna hurt anything.

[fotoman]

I have the PMCA 3 compartment Sparrow Trap that I am no longer using. I’m offering it for free. PMCA sells it for about $60.00. Mine is undamaged and like new. If anyone wants it I would really like you to pick it up. I’m in the Dallas area. I could ship it if you would prepay boxing and shipping costs.

I also have a complete Starling trap including the box trap, PVC pipe and wire cage with door. Let me know if you are interested in this item also.

[JimmyP]

I'v slept on and decided to give trapping another go, My new gourd rack with Troyer gourds is made for a trap door on the outside of the gourd and looks like it would work really well. I have no martins here yet so no fear of trapping them and have some sparrows its worth a try! Really love these Troyer gourds very well built!!

[Archer]

The Uncle Blaines repeating trap is another great tool for sparrow trappers. Catching the sparrows young as they fledge in summer really helps to bring the numbers down the following season. The fledglings are the easiest of the sparrows to catch. To find the seller, just google it.