Glue traps for Sparrows

[Guest]

Bradleydot:

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I use thin aluminum sheets. These are sold in rectangular pieces at home center stores as sheets to slip under shingles. They're quite thin. I punch a 1 1/2" hole into a sheet and slide it behind (inside) the entrance hole of my houses, which all have crescents (see the photo in my profile). This occludes a part of the crescent opening - enough that the martins don't try to enter.
I've even done this to my colony "founder," when a hosp took a liking to his cavity. This locked him out of his own house for a day. I captured the female hosp in the morning before I left for work, reset the trap inside and had the male when I returned home from work that evening. I then removed the trap and the entrance reducer and the rightful tenant was back in before it was sleepy time!
I don't think it matters whether you put these inside or outside the opening; in my case these happen to slip into a space that happens to hold them perfectly. These sheets are typically white on one side & brown on the other; they're perfect for me.
btw: I use the universal sparrow traps sold here at the PMCA shop. They're excellent.
Hope this helps...

-Steve

[KathyF]

I have also had very good luck with glue traps. By the way, they are also available at Lowe's. I have made a couple of "observations" over the years which I'll present here... to be confirmed, refuted, or otherwise criticized. No one has yet mentioned these ideas in this thread yet:

1. After years of "watching" it almost seems to me that martins (as well as the other species) seem to know when a cavity has been "claimed" and taken over by sparrows; and they all seem to "defer" to the sparrows' decision... even though martins will explore and/or breed in a gourd just 18 inches away. I have assumed this is the reason I have never had an accidental entrapment by a martin... nor a house finch or chickadee or tree swallow.

2. I have learned from old timers that there is an "alternative philosophy" about WHEN to intervene with the glue trap. This "other tactic" is to allow the sparrow pair to proceed through nest building, brooding, and a few days of feeding chicks before interrupting things with the glue traps. The (evil) idea is to keep them busy for about four weeks before "dispatching them." By waiting, you will be intervening at a time when they are NOT going to desert the nest (if not entrapped) and pick another one of your martin cavities. Both male and female will be committed to those chicks and you will have the best chance (several tries if you need them) to catch and dispatch both parents as well as the chicks. When successful, this "later intervention" also eliminates subjecting your martins to the infamous "sparrow's revenge" which occurs when you simply tear out a sparrow nest or botch an attempt to trap them. The significant "negative" aspect of this strategy is that it occupies one of the cavities you were counting on for a martin pair.

So there! I report, you decide! ~Dan Drew

Dan, as a "last ditch" effort, this sounds logical. Question: Does the guy "attach" the babies to the glue trap by sitting them back on it, or just put the glue trap at the door...or?? When glue trapping just the parents, I just put a whole glue trap in the nest box, in case they may miss it by stepping around.

[Dan Drew]

Does the guy "attach" the babies to the glue trap by sitting them back on it, or just put the glue trap at the door...or??

Oh, MY! I was afraid someone would ask! In 69 orbits around the sun, (11 with HOSP in my yard) I have executed this "trick" only 2 or 3 times, though I have heard it bragged about more often than this. Each time it seems to get more difficult as I get older; but it has always been successful.

No one needs reminding that sparrows absolutely FILL UP their cavities with nesting material; so no one will be surprised to hear that you MUST remove a good deal of nesting material before even thinking about inserting a glue trap (or two.) Using three hands and two access ports would really help! With one access port and only two hands it is indeed a clumsy thing to do; and I recall that I have actually trapped myself and wasted perfectly fine glue traps on several occasions. I would, in fact, NEVER try this on a ladder unless there is someone there to rescue you.

As for the sparrow chicks, it had not occurred to me to stick a chick to the trap; so I have never done this on purpose; but I suppose it is a thought... and doing it by accident would certainly not ruin the project. Generally my attempt has been to get one glue trap deep into the nest (near the chicks) and another near the opening... without trapping myself or falling off the ladder.

You might consider drawing a nice diagram of your project, as described above, or with a new and better configuration; but I have always found the process to be so difficult and clumsy that it is necessary to be satisfied with compromises with respect to engineering and exact glue trap placement. I have always been lucky enough to trap both parents regardless of imprecise and/or catywompus trap placement.

As for the final disposition of the HOSP family; after both mature birds are entrapped, I use Chuck's trick with the di-ethyl ether. (engine starter fluid.) The idea is to deposit the trapped parents, the chicks, and the entire nest into a plastic bag with a generous squirt of the ether. The birds fall quickly to sleep. They do not experience any pain; and they do not wake up.

Perhaps these paragraphs have answered your question. They are as close as I can come. I should probably answer another question that you did not ask: When is it time to execute this "delayed entrapment" procedure?? Remember that HOSP brooding time & chick development time is shorter than that of the PM's; so too much delay will spoil everything by allowing the chicks to fledge and contaminate your site and your neighborhood. A simple rule will solve this dilemma: When you see the HOSP parents bringing in food... IT IS TIME!

Best regards! ~Dan

[KathyF]

Thanks for the reply Dan! My neighbor is having a heck of a time and I figure we can at least do this as the last ditch effort, since they're now flying off everytime we try to shoot and my neighbor has a "hinged" house (I know, I know...I'm working on him ) and now can't lower the house anymore.

The ladder warning is applicable here.