I had heard that you can clip their wings so they cannot fly very well. This at least would leave HOSP for predators. The guy that had an article on this also said he noted that the clipped ones did not breed that season. I.e., his sparrow trap did not trap any HOSP with clipped wings.
I do not seem to have HOSP or starlings in my rural area....at least not yet. I was wondering if anyone has tried clipping wings to see what happens. Anyone tried this on Starlings? A disabled Starling would make good alternative prey for hawks, etc.
Clipping HSOP wings?
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Sarah Jane
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2018 10:46 am
- Location: Weatherford, Texas
3 Acres on the Brazos River.
2017 - 3 Martin Nests begun after 3/31 in an old plastic PM house, no decoys, no dawn song. No babies.
2018- Feb. Mounted 6 Troyer horizontal gourds w/SREH in exact same spot + decoy. No PMs yet.
Weatherford, TX
2017 - 3 Martin Nests begun after 3/31 in an old plastic PM house, no decoys, no dawn song. No babies.
2018- Feb. Mounted 6 Troyer horizontal gourds w/SREH in exact same spot + decoy. No PMs yet.
Weatherford, TX
I can honestly say that I have never seen anything in my area that will eat a starling. I shot one out of a tree once and the neighbors cat ran and picked it up. The cat dropped the starling in a heartbeat and immediately got sick to its stomach right there in my driveway. It is my opinion that the most humane way to be rid of both starlings and house sparrows is to quick kill them. I don't like it. I don't enjoy it. But I have martin boxes and bluebird boxes that I put out so it is my responsibility to protect them. As far as clipping wings....In my opinion that just adds to the stress of the starling or sparrow when left unprotected on the ground. I wish there was a better way, but I haven't found one yet. Brenda
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phldave
- Posts: 528
- Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:44 pm
- Location: Iowa/Pleasant Hill
- Martin Colony History: Started trying in 2012 and still trying
Sarah,
Not to put too fine of a point on it, and I don't mean to sound too much like a ghoul, but the only good sparrow or starling is a deceased one. There are plenty of articles and pictures of how ruthless these birds are to native birds. So I guess what I'm saying is, once you have one of these, just as quickly and painlessly as you can, do away with it. The best way is not to brood on the matter, just do it and move on, and rest assured you have done the right thing. There are plenty of naturalists that would thank you for it.
Dave
Not to put too fine of a point on it, and I don't mean to sound too much like a ghoul, but the only good sparrow or starling is a deceased one. There are plenty of articles and pictures of how ruthless these birds are to native birds. So I guess what I'm saying is, once you have one of these, just as quickly and painlessly as you can, do away with it. The best way is not to brood on the matter, just do it and move on, and rest assured you have done the right thing. There are plenty of naturalists that would thank you for it.
Dave
2012 late start
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Sarah
I believe you are referring to older posts here about clipping house sparrow tails, not wings. (but with scissors; not a carving knife)
A high school biology teacher in Texas who manages a large colony at his school used to do this, or does, as a house sparrow control measure that would not elicit protests from students and the public. The technique is to capture the sparrow and clip the tail close. They don't return to the house to breed but are able to fly pretty well and are seen around the area surviving.
The downsides are obvious, but it is a tool, and I have experimented with it myself at public sites. I later saw one tailless sparrow at a bird feeder.
I have never read of it being tried for starlings.
John M
I believe you are referring to older posts here about clipping house sparrow tails, not wings. (but with scissors; not a carving knife)
A high school biology teacher in Texas who manages a large colony at his school used to do this, or does, as a house sparrow control measure that would not elicit protests from students and the public. The technique is to capture the sparrow and clip the tail close. They don't return to the house to breed but are able to fly pretty well and are seen around the area surviving.
The downsides are obvious, but it is a tool, and I have experimented with it myself at public sites. I later saw one tailless sparrow at a bird feeder.
I have never read of it being tried for starlings.
John M
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
I, and others, have clipped the flight wings (one side) off of house sparrows used as live bait in traps. The reason being, if they escape when you pull out recently caught house sparrows, some predator--probably a roaming house cat-- will enjoy a meal. It also allows you to know which sparrow is the bait so that you can change out periodically to a fresh one.
Mike Scully was the landord/teacher in San Antonio who posted about cutting the tail feathers off to circumvent breeding. He also controlled house sparrows, and believed in (and utilized when possible) more effective methods; Understandably, his position prevented radical measures--some of which he taught students. He did a remarkable job at a science oriented high school--bringing in live feed video from on-campus martin gourds in to each class room.
Mike Scully was the landord/teacher in San Antonio who posted about cutting the tail feathers off to circumvent breeding. He also controlled house sparrows, and believed in (and utilized when possible) more effective methods; Understandably, his position prevented radical measures--some of which he taught students. He did a remarkable job at a science oriented high school--bringing in live feed video from on-campus martin gourds in to each class room.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Terminate them, its the only way to go.. Starlings and Sparrows, pure trash BIRDS.. Throw a Peanut Butter and Jam sandwich, bag of chips, cookies for desert, down on the ground... That was lunch for our fine feathered friends, YES SIR they will eat all of it.. WE have Crows, Ravens, Seagulls for that, not the other 2 losers.... TERMINATE M
If I can catch them I will put the whole cage in a Rubbermaid container(I have containers just the right size. ) Then I spray in some ether starting fluid. They go to sleep never to awaken. Very humane and It keeps me from having to wring their neck. The ones that I can't catch have to watch for my pellet gun with a 30x scope. Only had to shoot two starlings plus trap and kill one sparrow last year. Raised 120 young Martins.
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Bird Brain
- Posts: 332
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:22 am
- Location: Highland Village, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2022-visitors, 2023-visitors, 2024-1 pair, fledged 4, 2025-10 pair, fledged 42, 2026-18 pair
Clipping their wings only serves as a slow, frightening death. They know they are dead if they can't fly. They know they will be caught by a cat, snake, or possom, living in fear until the inevitable moment. If they do survive and grow their wings or tail back, now they will come back, and possible cause some damage this time. Those rat birds aren't going to clip your bluebird's or martin's wings if they enter that cavity. They are going to kill, perhaps the entire family. Grow a backbone and do what must be done. After you've killed a few, it gets easier. Eventually, the thoughts won't even linger. I pull the head off quick for a quick humane kill. I feel about as guilty as when I poison a fire ant mound.
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Gauxt
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:03 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Prairieville
- Martin Colony History: Started 2007
2013 1 Pair
2015 2 Pair
2016 4 Pair
2017 12 Pair
2018 15 Pair
2019 15 Pair
2020 19 Pair
2021 15 pair
2022 21 pair
2023 22 pair
2024 22 pair
2025 12 pair, downsized racks
Roaches, rats, mice, wasps, mosquitoes, ants, flys etc. HOSP no different. A pest
2010-0
2011-visitors
2012-visitors
2013-1 pair
2014-0
2015-2 pair
2016 4 pair
2017 12 pair
2018 15 pair
2019 15 pair
2020 19 pair
2021 15 pair
2022 21 pair
2011-visitors
2012-visitors
2013-1 pair
2014-0
2015-2 pair
2016 4 pair
2017 12 pair
2018 15 pair
2019 15 pair
2020 19 pair
2021 15 pair
2022 21 pair
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TheSmiths
- Posts: 336
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
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Tried to attract PMs 2004; began more earnest attempt in 2014.
Current home site consisting of 2 modified Trio M12Ks, 4 ChirpyNests, and assorted artificial gourds, all enclosed in owl/hawk cages.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs; enclosed housing
2022 – 14 pairs
2023 – 18 pairs
2024 – 18 pairs
2025 – 24 pairs
2026 –
Manage FILs colony & public park colony. Attempting to start a colony at a wildlife refuge.
~20 years of providing housing for cavity nesting birds including Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Great-Crested Flycatchers, Northern Flickers, & Prothonotary Warblers.
Use whichever method you need to for your situation. Any type of control is better than none at all. In time you may work up to euthanasia.
Clipping a bird's wings has to be done precisely or they have to exert to much energy to survive or can't fly at all. A House Sparrow's tail, on the other hand, can be clipped without the need for precision. Birds occasionally molt all of their tail feathers at the same time and are still able to fly. (We live with a little guy who does that). The member who experimented with clipping HS tails was Mike Scully. You can run a search or go to his member profile to view his posts.
If you have a rehabber in your area, especially one who works with raptors, they may be willing to take trapped HS's or Starlings off your hands.
I live in a rural area as well and we still get a few HS's. We caught our first one of the year yesterday. If you have nest boxes for other types of birds, try putting fishing line in an X across the top and in a square around the entrance hole. It doesn't work for everyone but it works for some situations. (Don't use fishing line on your PM housing though).
Clipping a bird's wings has to be done precisely or they have to exert to much energy to survive or can't fly at all. A House Sparrow's tail, on the other hand, can be clipped without the need for precision. Birds occasionally molt all of their tail feathers at the same time and are still able to fly. (We live with a little guy who does that). The member who experimented with clipping HS tails was Mike Scully. You can run a search or go to his member profile to view his posts.
If you have a rehabber in your area, especially one who works with raptors, they may be willing to take trapped HS's or Starlings off your hands.
I live in a rural area as well and we still get a few HS's. We caught our first one of the year yesterday. If you have nest boxes for other types of birds, try putting fishing line in an X across the top and in a square around the entrance hole. It doesn't work for everyone but it works for some situations. (Don't use fishing line on your PM housing though).
I eat them myself. Starling is actually quite good....Yes! You read that right.birdbrat wrote:I can honestly say that I have never seen anything in my area that will eat a starling. I shot one out of a tree once and the neighbors cat ran and picked it up. The cat dropped the starling in a heartbeat and immediately got sick to its stomach right there in my driveway. It is my opinion that the most humane way to be rid of both starlings and house sparrows is to quick kill them. I don't like it. I don't enjoy it. But I have martin boxes and bluebird boxes that I put out so it is my responsibility to protect them. As far as clipping wings....In my opinion that just adds to the stress of the starling or sparrow when left unprotected on the ground. I wish there was a better way, but I haven't found one yet. Brenda
I've been shooting them for a few years now (those AND sparrows), and it takes a few starling breasts to make a meal, but it makes a good stir-fry with vegetables.
And yes, I agree with you guys. They are invasive species, and should not even be given the chance to breed by those who understand how aggressive they are, and how they have displaced out native songbird cavity nesters.