PMCA offers the Starling/House Sparrow Nest-box Trap. I was curious if anyone has this and would comment on how they like it. Thanks for the input!
John
Anyone have experience with the PMCA Starling/House Sparrow
2011 One Nesting Pair, 4 eggs, 4 Fledged. Heath cedar home with SREH
2012 10 Nesting pair. 53 eggs, 46 babies, 36 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2013 12 Nesting pair. 72 eggs. 50 babies. 49 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2014 Trendsetter 12 with 2 Vertical Gourds
2012 10 Nesting pair. 53 eggs, 46 babies, 36 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2013 12 Nesting pair. 72 eggs. 50 babies. 49 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2014 Trendsetter 12 with 2 Vertical Gourds
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
John,
I have used it and it sucked in starlings like a vacuum cleaner. I did not have a house sparrow problem so can't comment on that. I used it solely for starlings, and drilled the escape hole on access cover larger, to let bluebirds escape, since they liked the trap box.
What's your goal, starlings, house sparrows, or both? I hope someone who has used it for house sparrows will comment.
I have used it and it sucked in starlings like a vacuum cleaner. I did not have a house sparrow problem so can't comment on that. I used it solely for starlings, and drilled the escape hole on access cover larger, to let bluebirds escape, since they liked the trap box.
What's your goal, starlings, house sparrows, or both? I hope someone who has used it for house sparrows will comment.
Hi Louise,
Since I have SREH's (crescents), I have not had a Starling problem, but that obviously doesn't address sparrows. That is my interest in this trap. How did you place it to avoid PM's from entering as well?
Since I have SREH's (crescents), I have not had a Starling problem, but that obviously doesn't address sparrows. That is my interest in this trap. How did you place it to avoid PM's from entering as well?
2011 One Nesting Pair, 4 eggs, 4 Fledged. Heath cedar home with SREH
2012 10 Nesting pair. 53 eggs, 46 babies, 36 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2013 12 Nesting pair. 72 eggs. 50 babies. 49 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2014 Trendsetter 12 with 2 Vertical Gourds
2012 10 Nesting pair. 53 eggs, 46 babies, 36 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2013 12 Nesting pair. 72 eggs. 50 babies. 49 Fledged. Trendsetter 12
2014 Trendsetter 12 with 2 Vertical Gourds
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
John,
I have used the PMCA Nest-box Trap to catch starlings. It draws in any investigating starlings like a magnet. We have almost no house sparrows so can't comment about that. We don't have that many starlings either.
I have even attached the PMCA Trap to gourd crossbars, raised the rack without any gourds, and have caught starlings. The PMCA Trap becomes a "wooden gourd"!
There are many bluebirds in our area and they do get caught in the trap and are, of course, released.
Steve
I have used the PMCA Nest-box Trap to catch starlings. It draws in any investigating starlings like a magnet. We have almost no house sparrows so can't comment about that. We don't have that many starlings either.
I have even attached the PMCA Trap to gourd crossbars, raised the rack without any gourds, and have caught starlings. The PMCA Trap becomes a "wooden gourd"!
There are many bluebirds in our area and they do get caught in the trap and are, of course, released.
Steve
PMCA Member
300+ pairs of martins each season
300+ pairs of martins each season
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Placed on a fence about eye level, too low for martins to take interest - BUT all traps have to be watched, just in case. If you have srehs, then a round entrance trap box will have the starlings lining up to get in. If morning sun hits the front of trap, I often trapped two in AM before leaving for work.
On a side note, welcome to the forum! I bet it is cold up your way today, it is chilly in Corpus. If you add info about your colony history (how many pairs, type of housing, etc) to your profile, it's helpful when folks reply to your posts.
PS, since you are working on house sparrows, you could add cover plates to bring entrance hole down to 1-1/4 inch. You'll catch HOSP but not martins or bluebirds. Still need 1 inch escape hole for wrens and chickadees - and carolina wrens might not be able to get out of 1 inch hole.
On a side note, welcome to the forum! I bet it is cold up your way today, it is chilly in Corpus. If you add info about your colony history (how many pairs, type of housing, etc) to your profile, it's helpful when folks reply to your posts.
PS, since you are working on house sparrows, you could add cover plates to bring entrance hole down to 1-1/4 inch. You'll catch HOSP but not martins or bluebirds. Still need 1 inch escape hole for wrens and chickadees - and carolina wrens might not be able to get out of 1 inch hole.
I have had great luck with the nest box trap designed for the T-14. I put them in in early March, when the Starlings are arriving. I leave all of the nest boxes without traps closed, and it keeps me very busy disposing of starlings. If you put feathers in the trap, the sparrows love it, also.
Another trap I like is for wooden bird houses. It is the insert trap, and I catch many sparrows in that.
As is the case with all traps, you have to be home and watching the traps to protect the good birds.
Sue P
Another trap I like is for wooden bird houses. It is the insert trap, and I catch many sparrows in that.
As is the case with all traps, you have to be home and watching the traps to protect the good birds.
Sue P
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Connie Roman ~ NJ
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:42 pm
- Location: Pennington/New Jersey
- Martin Colony History: Attracted my first pair in 2006.
I now have 5 gourd racks, offer 66 Gourds, and average 50 pair a year.
I have this trap and it works on sparrows and starlings beautifully! It’s portable, so I move it around the property. I do get bluebirds in it; but I monitor it closely. When I trap a sparrow in the house trap, I use the sparrow as live bait in the repeater trap.