What's the best way to kill Starlings & Sparrows?

[Guest]

Hi I am one of the Newbies here. Have my house up and 4 gourds and am waiting. I also have a S&S trap to put up. Just wondering what is the best way to kill the S&S's after I take them out of the trap? I am one of those dumb newbies who needs some of the ole timer's advice.
Thanks
Rhonda

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Rhonda. First off, I prefer to use the word "uneducated" rather than "dumb." As for your question. There are several methods. Put the S&S into a solid container, then shoot a shot of starting fluid in. This will put them to permanent sleep. Also, some folks just squeeze the bird. Others grip the head firmly in one hand, the body in the other, and pull your hands apart. This severs the spinal column. The best way IF it's legal, and safe, is with a pellet or other gun. Oh yes, some also just toss trap and all into a bucket of water. (That is if it's like the Universal S&S traps.) Hope this helps. CUL Lou

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

The best way is whatever is quick and humane as possible. I dont like drowning, even if it is over quick for a bird, I prefer a quick blow to the head or starting fluid in a closed container. I like it even better when the .22 bullit does it for me, that is if I can hit them! And I am not exactally and old timer, this is my third season on this forum, but I try to help out when I can. Good luck this year.

[John Atteberry]

Hello Rhonda,
The easiest way to kill the sparrows is put them in a plastic bag or ziplock bag and take the bag to your car. Now turn the car on and place the bag over the end of the tailpipe and let the carbon dioxide from the muffler get in the bag and close the bag tight and he will die quickly! That works great! Thanks John!

[Guest]

Thanks for the tips, I can't beleive there isn't something easier...so far I prefer the putting the bird in a container with lighter fluid. I can not imagine doing the tail pipe thing with my car....my gosh..i would rather just put gloves on and twist it's neck...yuck...i mean i am new..i don't like starlings or sparrows but i want to get rid of them as painless to me as possible. the container thing sounds best...thanks

[Guest]

I've heard that placing them into a bag, or a sock, and then repeatedly swinging the closed bag/sock hard against something very solid also works, and you don't have to see the results...just dump the bag into the trash, or (if the bag is biodegradeable) bury it as fertilizer.

[kimball911]

RhondaMC- Make sure you are using "starter fluid" not lighter fluid. You can find a aerosal can of starter fluid in the automotive sections. I put on leather gloves (starlings can fight), get a plastic walmart bag and put your hand in the bag, reach into the trap and grab the bird with your bagged hand and pull him into the bag and pull it closed at the top, which will wrap the bird tight and he doesn't struggle. Open the top of the bag just enough to shoot a squirt of starter fluid into the bag and keep a firm grip around the bag and bird. It will be over within 10-15 seconds. Tie the top of the bag closed and toss in outdoor trashcan. The starter fluid can carry fumes a long time, so don't dispose of it in your house trashcan. It's very quick and painless. They only really panic when you try to catch them and pull them into the bag. Good luck - I've already disposed of 9 starlings and 2 sparrows and my first scout arrived yesterday.

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Start my cars engine to kill a Starling, or English House Sparrow? At $2.75 a gallon?? What, ya nuts or something?? ha ha. I can buy a can of Starting Fluid (NOT Lighter fluid) for around the same three bucks, and kill dozens of them. I've gotta save my $2.75 a gallon gasoline for more important things, like going to see my grand babies, or grocery shopping. Yes, I know this has been suggested many times, but not with gas costing more than an ounce of gold. ha ha. BTW, Not meaning to offend anyone, most spoken with tongue in cheek. CUL Lou

[oneidalaker]

Kimball, you can prevent struggling by getting the bird upside down as quickly as possible. They become quite docile then. As you mentioned, always wear gloves.
I'm a bit leary of the starter fluid method. When I was in college I took a Mammalogy course where we had to obtain and stuff 10 different mammals. We were told to use ether to dispatch the mammals before skinning them. One of the first mammals I trapped was a gray squirrel which I brought into the Biology lab. I pulled him out of the trap with a gloved hand and held the ether soaked cotton ball over his nose. After waiting what I thought was the proper time (as demonstrated by the instructor) I loosened my grip and the squirrel made his bid for freedom. Did I mention that I was performing my procedure in a GLASS filled Biology lab. Did you also know that gray squirrels can run up walls and along ceilings of rooms? Did you also know that angry misused gray squirrels can be really. really hard to catch. Needless to say that semester I was way ahead of the breakage fee that the University extorted from us every time one took a lab course.
Sooooo, if you use the ether method (and I'm sure that S&S's are not as resilenf as gray squirrels), put all loose glassware safely away and make sure your quarry is dispatched.
Bob

[Bob Buskas]

I have always used the Starter Fluid method, just make sure your not smoking when doing this. Last year I donated all my S&S to a rehabber. They called back and asked what the smell was. I told them my method for putting them to sleep........ they still fed them to their raptors. The Staring Fluid smell remained in their feathers only.

[CurtWelling]

Squeeze the torso for 20 seconds or so until they go limp. They can still revive if that's all you do, so I drop them on the ground and squish the skull with my foot, then discard.

You don't need any fancy technology.

[Kyle Gregoire]

Dear Rhonda I usually shoot them. If i do trap them i give them a hard baseball type throw into the ground followed with a quick head stomp as fast as possible. For those for you who chose drowning, this maybe is acceptable. I had a friend in high school who drowned at a local beach. He was pronounced dead on the scene by a doctor. His father, would not stop trying to revieve him, and lo and behold he came around. I asked him what it was like. He replied - not bad- but the worst part was the struggle before the first underwater breath. I chose a new nickname for him after that. I called him- Second time around. Have fun martining everybody.

[Guest]

Fastball style throw at a fence or tree It puts them out quick

[bbbdco]

I know this is a very old post. I would use those little doggie poop bags. Just grab the sparrow using one of these bags, as if you are picking up poop. Turn it inside out, a squirt of starter fluid, tie the bag shut, and toss it in the garbage. It’s just like falling asleep under anesthesia.

[Thomabear]

I use a one gallon plastic ice cream container with 3 sides of a square cut out in the lid to create a small flap to insert the birds into the container. After that I give it a shot of 50% either John Deere starter fluid. They will painlessly nod out in a few seconds. After that just dump the container. I usually wait until I have about 4-5 birds trapped before doing this.

[Roymg]

Ha ha.

[charlesgremillion]

I prefer to shoot them with my pellet rifle, but for those that are trapped I just break the necks It's unpleasant but necessary and humane.