Dispatching European Sparrows

[jpp77]

I'm worried by the time I can get the trap here, it may be too late. Maybe not. So frustrating. I just know if I don't get him, he's going to attack the Martin eggs when that time comes. Having a job is sure getting in the way. Haha

[Robbo]

Yes the north star is a poor product. I would stick to a T-14 or gourds.

[jpp77]

Came home to the sparrow nest rebuilt in one of my 8 gourds. Have 6-8 Martins who haven't really started building. They have paid no attention to the gourd with the Sparrows. I have no traps and the gourd faces opposite of where I can hide and get a good shot.

Plan B. Remember reading about this on Chucks Purple Martin page. Carve the end of a pool noodle so it fits inside the gourd opening. Attach a nail to the end of a long pole and slide on the pool noodle so it easily comes off. After dark, right before bedtime, sneak outside and slide the noodle into the gourd with the sparrow nest and leave it until morning. In the morning, first thing, put a plastic bag over gourd and remove noodle. Sparrows should fly out into bag. He says it should be male and female since its a fully built nest.

We shall see. I know Martins won't be in that compartment so it's worth a try.

I'll report back

[jpp77]

I aborted this plan as I believe the Martins have started staying overnight. Disturbing them might be bad idea. Back to the drawing board

[Nealbopper]

Look online on how to build a sparrow trap. I built 2 in 20 minutes with a drill, coat hanger, wire snips a piece of thin wood, like sub floor material and a glue gun. It's really easy to make, look it up.

[Daox13]

new person here but I battled the European sparrow for most of last year and most of the beginning of this year. I tried everything but nothing worked until I finally gave in an targeted the males. in one week I took out 15 of them. one week later I have my first Mature Male PM checking out my house.
I hate killing anything... but I began to read up on Sparrows and they are actually horrible little creatures and ones that cause so much stress of many of our native birds. After reading up on them I don't feel so bad now and think of it more as helping the eco system over hurting it.

[jpp77]

Pellet gun or trap? I live in the country and have used my 20 gauge before. Probably for me is getting a shot before he is gone.

[Daox13]

pellet gun, scoped. I like it because it doesn't make as much noise and I live outside a major city so id rather not have the cops called on me constantly. so far its worked wonders..... I literally look out from my house and crack a window, rest the barrel aim and done... being inside the house also acts as a blind so they can't see me.

I tried trapping, worked for a bit but they started to figure it out and wouldn't go in... plus what do I do with them once trapped, relocate which is worthless or kill them, id rather shoot them with the pellet gun and that way they don't suffer at all...

[jpp77]

The gourd the male chose faces away from my house, so that doesn't work well for me. I have 8 gourds and a barn. He chose a gourd that was unoccupied by my Martins. Came home 5 minutes ago to see a male hanging out in my barn. I'm hoping it's the same one (might not be) because he is no longer with us thanks to my 20 gauge. I've only seen one male around this year. Will see as the next few days go by.

[dubluv]

Think of it this way, would gardener or farmer allow the weeds to take over his garden or field? The sparrows are non-native and an invasive species, and it was ignorance and stupidity that brought them here in the first place. Martins are not the only native species having to compete with House Sparrows. KILL THEM ALL and take comfort in that you are helping "weed the garden" for the benefit of our native birds!!

well said, i couldn't agree more

[Nealbopper]

Here is my update after my original post,
I am sparrow free - the word must be out because after shooting a plethora of males and female sparrows,
I have not seen another sparrow. Now, yesterday when I got home from work, I saw the gourd trap was down.
I covered the hole with a plastic bag and out came a Wren. I got to hold him and look closely. He was very cool
looking but I do not think he will be back. NOW - I am hoping Martins show up and move right in. I am ready to go!

[AndyShutterbug]

I'm still trying to attract a successful pair. Crossing my fingers for this year. Had a starling hanging out every day for a while. He finally moved on due to the SREH on my setup. But then a sparrow liked the rig. He'd been around a while and eventually attracted a mate. I had been wondering what I'd do when it came to this. Last year I purchased a repeater trap and a T14 insert trap. As I waited for them to settle down to one box, I started looking into pellet guns. I knew I'd have trouble convincing the wife ("How could you kill something that wasn't hurting you. You don't intend to eat it, and you don't even have martins to protect"). Well, I got one anyway.

They picked a box. I put the trap up there last evening and they wouldn't go in. I didn't give it much time as nightfall was coming. My wife saw a groundhog going after her garden and she wished aloud that I'd get that gun and just shoot that darn thing. Well, that's when I opened the box and showed her the Gamo Bone Collector I had picked up. I sighted it in this morning best I could. I've never fired any kind of rifle before. The gun was breaking in and so was I. Then I saw the female on the box. Poked the airgun out of the bathroom window and took the shot even though it was on a porch inches from my wooden box about 25yds away. First time lucky I guess (for me anyway). I was not so lucky with my next two shots on the male. Now he's been gone for hours. I guess I need more practice. I'm glad that I took the design approach to frustrate starlings away. I'm not eager to do this. But I've got no love for those darn sparrows who just want to dominate an area.

One less sparrow in the world, and one ready colony site for martins.

[Daox13]

The gourd the male chose faces away from my house, so that doesn't work well for me. I have 8 gourds and a barn. He chose a gourd that was unoccupied by my Martins. Came home 5 minutes ago to see a male hanging out in my barn. I'm hoping it's the same one (might not be) because he is no longer with us thanks to my 20 gauge. I've only seen one male around this year. Will see as the next few days go by.

could you spread some seed down to lure him to the open ground? I don't shoot towards my PM house for fear of shattering it lol so I typically wait for him to leave and track him and shoot.

[Daox13]

Here is my update after my original post,
I am sparrow free - the word must be out because after shooting a plethora of males and female sparrows,
I have not seen another sparrow. Now, yesterday when I got home from work, I saw the gourd trap was down.
I covered the hole with a plastic bag and out came a Wren. I got to hold him and look closely. He was very cool
looking but I do not think he will be back. NOW - I am hoping Martins show up and move right in. I am ready to go!

nvm it looks like you did it! congrats!

[Karen Winney]

I think of sparrows like mice. Just can't have that in the house. No guilt involved.
Our problem is the hawk. Last year it dragged a full grown male Martin out of the house and killed and ate it. This morning the hawk was in the yard killing the neighbours red hen and eating it. Right under our four Martin houses. Horrible. When the hawk was done it sat up on the first Martin house until fourteen Martins chased it away. One female swooped on me. I could hear her she was so close to my face. It's was wild here this morning.
How do we deter Hawks.

[Curtis Reil]

You all brought up some very valid reasons I should continue to dispatch S&S's.
I have Bluebirds in my boxes and today I'm going to mud smear some entrances
of the Troyer's. I'm not giving up and I will continue to shoot those sparrows.
Starlings haven't been an issue with the reduced openings on my Troyer's.
Thank you all for your pep talk - Back at it today.
OK, I have a question. Has anyone got 2 sparrows in 1 shot? I came so close
the other day. Oh, I have to say these Troyer gourds are very sturdy. They
can take a shot and stand up to it.
P.S. I had a sub adult male fly over Wednesday. He took a look and kept going north.
Have a great day all.

I've got 2 in one shot several times. Sparrows and starlings. My favourite method for producing this result is enacted before the martins return. I pick a spot I'd like to shoot from in the house and in my case it happens to be the kitchen table(I know... I know. Very tolerant wife). I crack the window just enough to accommodate the muzzle of the air rifle and shoot through partially closed blinds. I have all compartments closed except one that provides me a shot where I will not hit the house. I remove the SREH plate from that door to one compartment. The trash birds will gravitate to this porch and a lot of the time you'll end up with the crosshairs on the male and female in line with one another on said porch. SNAP - PUFF PUFF - FLOP FLOP. Doesn't work every time but has produced multiple times. As soon as I see scout reports in Saskatchewan I reinstall the SREH plate and it's back to business as usual for control.

[jpp77]

I've got another one. Good lord. Martins are building nests. I'm off the next 3 days so I hope I can get rid of them. My dad has about 20-25 pairs of Martins. He has Sparrows nest every year with the Martins. Tries to get rid of as many as he can but he always has a few Sparrow nests. They never bother the Martins. I assume it's because he has so many around to kind of "police" the area. Who knows.

[stan davison]

I was under the impression that English house sparrow were actually of the finch family. Correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

[warbird]

I've got another one. Good lord. Martins are building nests. I'm off the next 3 days so I hope I can get rid of them. My dad has about 20-25 pairs of Martins. He has Sparrows nest every year with the Martins. Tries to get rid of as many as he can but he always has a few Sparrow nests. They never bother the Martins. I assume it's because he has so many around to kind of "police" the area. Who knows.

Regular nest checks will show how much damage sparrows do. No such thing as a nice sparrow in my opinion

[Matt F.]

Regular nest checks will show how much damage sparrows do. No such thing as a nice sparrow in my opinion

So true.
It has been shown that the reproductive success rate of Martins drops significantly, when house sparrows are allowed to nest along side them.
The house sparrows know they can't physically take on an adult Martin. So their tactics are to slip into the Martins' compartments while the Martins are out, and peck holes in the eggs, or kill the small babies.
The theory is (which I agree with), is that since house sparrows are not communal nesters, they really want the entire house to themselves, and definitely not share it with any other species.
If they slip in, and destroy eggs or kill babies, they know this results in the Martins most likely abandoning that house, due to a failed nesting attempt.
It's really quite maddening how aggressive they are.