Starling escapes from repeating nest box trap.

[Don Strickland]

It took some doing. He had to go back up the 4" pvc pipe, enter the house, get on top of the capture box, and fly out through the entrance.
That was either a really smart bird.
Or really lucky.
Don

[klcretired]

Hi Don,
I have Had My S & S Repeating Trap for Many Many Years and never had anything to escape, Not ever, check your inside clearence , may be too wide somewhere???, The S & S is a Great Trap I hope that no other Trash beak ever escapes from you again.

[Don Strickland]

I have about 1/8" clearance on both sides. I thought they couldn't fly in a 4" pvc pipe, but I was wrong. After he was back inside the house, he had to jump on top of the capture box, weight it down, and fly right out the entrance hole. I wouldn't have believed it was possible but I saw it fly away. Not all was lost. One kept hanging around (the mate I guess), and I shot it.
I made the down tube longer so It's a "wait and see" now.
Don

[DornCounty]

starling in my trap can fly up about a foot of the 4" pipe. My pipe is 8ft long.

[Don Strickland]

Thanks for the info Dorn.
Don

[Ted n Ms]

I cut a small slot at about a 45 degree angle near the bottom of mine and placed a thin flexible plastic ruler that almost touches the opposite side it will move over easy to let the bird down but if it tries to go back up it will hit the side of the pipe and block the way.

[Archer]

haha, that's cool, a one way check valve for starlings.

[Don Strickland]

Good Idea Ted,
If making the down tube longer doesn't work, I'll try your method.
Thanks,
Don

[Bill Kepley]

MY starling nest box trap is the type with a hinged trap door at the bottom. Last year a starling dragged a long piece of grass in that blocked the door from swinging back shut. By the time I saw it, she had quite a nest built. I shot her , then cleaned the nest out. My down tube is 4' long, haven't had one get back up yet.

[klcretired]

Don,
I took My Downtube off my S & S Repeating trap and took it's measurement, mine is 8 ft 7inches in length, the trap cage w/ door mounts below That .

[klcretired]

Don,
I am just curious , not trying to be smart but does your S & S trap look like mine??, down tube 8 ft 7 inches long , the trap cage is 1 ft 2 inches long

[KathyF]

I've had it happen a couple of times here, too. I like Ted's idea above. I find that if I get them out of the holding cage quickly enough, they don't have time to figure out how to get back up the pipe.

[Don Strickland]

klcretired,
Yes, mine is not as pretty as yours though.....lol.......
Mine has the same basic lever/fulcrum inside as the Troyers S & S Controller. I made a few changes from the original plan so the pivot is a lot smoother, (very little drag). I have three of them in operation. I have made the down tube longer since I installed the trap.
Don

[Don Strickland]

Kathy,
I think that is why my starling had time to figure it out. I left him in there so others would be attracted. I was able to shoot the one that came to check it out.
Don

[KathyF]

Don, leaving a starling in the trap to attract others has never worked for me. In fact, I think starlings are so smart that the one in the trap communicates with the others that they shouldn't jump in that hole!

Very unlike the HOSP that attract others into the trap. I dispose of them right away.

[Don Strickland]

Kathy,
I think you are probably right. I won't leave one in the capture cage again.
Don

[Don Strickland]

bump for chase.

[M.Stephens]

No wonder the starling escaped... according to the picture your downtube was definitely not long enough.

[rdhd]

I

[Don Strickland]

Malcom,
Yes, the down tube was definitely too short. I made it longer after the Starling got away.
Don