Best Way to attract sparrows to bait trap?

[WanderingPM]

I have sparrows galore on my back deck. This is because I was feeding song birds with black sunflower seeds for most of the winter. Although my feeder is the type that closes off to heavier birds (sparrow etc), they still were regular visitors to catch scraps. I have recently stopped feeding the birds as the weather has become more mild.

Now I am trying to eliminate these trash birds before the PM season starts here in about a week. I am using white bread. They just ignore the bread and continue to look around for that potnetial left over seed.

What can I use to entice sparrows to the bait trap without attracting other birds?

[Guest]

I've read that pieces of white bread are a good attractant for sparrows. Also, if they are starting to exhibit nesting behaviors, small white feathers reportedly are a good thing to include.

[Linda Reynolds]

Wandering PM, Although we are not inundated by S&S, we always trap what few visit our yard.

I have had great success with English House sparrows using both the Repeating Bait Trap and ST-1. (you can find them in the PMCA's shop tab at the top of the page).

During the non-nesting season, baiting both of these traps with millet found in your generic bird food mix, works like a charm. I place our traps on the ground, but always put a piece of plywood underneath to contain the seed. If I have to move the trap, residual seed is not left for those not being trapped to enjoy. Monitor your traps regularly, please.......Cardinals love millet and very often are trapped. As quick release ensures their continued good health.

During nesting season, I bait both of these traps with nesting materials such as local grasses and ESPECIALLY white feathers. The EHS cannot resist those feathers. I hot glue some feathers onto the inside of the trap so they can still blow in the breeze, but allow one or two to float so the EHS can experience the joy of success.

Again, we are not inundated by S&S, but more than one of each species is too much for me.......I know the harm they can do, they are NOT protected, and are alien birds that do much harm to all of our cavity nesters. You NEED to rid of any in your yard.

Starlings are easily captured in a Nest Box Trap. Many varieties are available, so check the PMCA Shop and do an Internet search.......These traps are fabulous during nesting season, and really do work......We will never again be without one in our yard.

Good luck, and happy trapping........

[WanderingPM]

Linda,

Excellent suggestions. I went out and bought the millet bird feed and applied as suggested. Unfortunetely, I have caught three tufted titmice and a wren. The sparrows seem like they know what is up. I may have to put out a contact on their lives and offer my son $5/per to stalk them with the pellet gun. They feed on the seed around the trap so they are regular visitors to the "kill zone". Need to teach my son to go with the one shot one kill method and reduce the population over several days so as to not make them shy.

[Guest]

Try taking the millet out and putting out white bread pieces. It won't hurt anything to try