I need sparrow advice

[Bcorbs1217]

First, no I can't shoot them. I have a rabid pair of HOSP who are determined to build a nest in the gourds. They seem to have a gourd picked out so I'm wondering if I should let them start their darn nest and then take care of them. No babies yet but 3 nests with eggs and an SY male courting a gal for 2 days. Any advice? I know my mama told me not to hate but I hate HOSP's.

[Robbo]

What kind of gourds ? can you buy a trap for them? What have you done in the past?

[taxidermy lady]

Becky what ever gourd they are in get you a trap for it and trap them! That's about all you can do if you can't shoot! Goodluck!

[Insectivore Villa]

Cut a chunk of pool noodle, a long stick with a nail on the end, and when they go in for the night, plug that gourd good and tight. Take the rack system down the next day and give them the a gentle squeeze until they expire. You can skip the gentle part, not many of us will care....

[flyin-lowe]

When all else fails, as a last resort I use sticky mouse traps. That said, I cut a cottage cheese lid to reduce the size of the hole so martins cannot get into it. Then once I set it I sit back and watch it, not leaving it unattended the entire time. I can shoot where I am at so I very rarely use the sticky trap. However every couple years I get a HOSP that is so skiddish I cant get near it.

[Robbo]

thank's Flyin' I could not give that advice.

[Bcorbs1217]

I'm going to try the pool noodle. Next year when I have inner porches on my gourds, I'll get a trap from PMCA that will attach to the porch. I have SREH's and short of trying to swap out the gourd for a round holed gourd with an insert trap, which I don't think they'll be fooled by, I wasn't sure what to do. Thanks so much for all the advice. I don't know what I'd do without the people here who provide such great support. In the off season I'm going to practice my sling shot aim too

[Matt F.]

This is a great time to mention the phenomenon first documented by forum member Steve Kroenke, called "house sparrow revenge syndrome".
In a nutshell, male house sparrows will become extremely aggressive and vindictive if their nests are torn out.
Normally this is not a big deal. However, when you have active Martin nests in the same housing with eggs and/or small babies, house sparrow nest tear-outs can trigger this extreme aggression, causing the male house sparrows to go on a rampage, and destroy the Martin eggs and small babies in the surrounding compartments.
If you have actively nesting Martins with eggs or small babies, and a house sparrow pair nesting in one of the other compartments in the same housing, it's best to eliminate the male house sparrow (via shooting or trapping), before tearing out the nest.
If this is not possible for any reason, it's best to leave the house sparrow nest alone, until the Martin babies in the other nests have gotten much larger - making them less vulnerable to a house sparrow sneak attack.
Again, the key factor in this situation is to eliminate the male house sparrow, prior to tearing out their nest.

[jpp77]

Only problem with the pool noodles is the male isn't always inside. That and the fact you can startle the Martins who are done for the night. Experienced that myself (scared two Martins out of gourds after dark) and prob won't try the noodle trick again. Good luck if you try it

[Bcorbs1217]

They didn't stay last night but are back this morning building their nest. I'll give it some thought.

[Springerpanhead]

Air rifles are the best solution I have found for the English sparrow problem. Even in a populated neighborhood, a sheet of 3/16 sheet steel behind the target area will make for safe shooting. The air rifles I am talking about are not the kind that are listed as "adult " air guns , that come from Cabelas, Bass Pro, or Dicks Sporting goods. Virtually all of the airguns sold in the aforementioned stores are of what is known as a " springer " type air gun. Of the four types of airguns available, springers are the most difficult to shoot with precise accuracy. This is due to the double two directional recoil of this type of rifle. It doesn't matter if the rifle's power plant is spring piston or nitro piston, a piston driven rifle has double recoil, and requires a great amount of practice to developed the perfect follow through necessary to hit a target as small as a house sparrow at any distance greater than 3 feet. The other types of air guns are Multi Pump, CO 2, and Pre Charged Pneumatic.Go on line to the sites of Pyramid Airgun, Airguns Of Arizona, Air Tanks For Sale aka Joe Brancato, or one f the forums such as Gateway To Airguns. And learn about PRECISION air guns. Be advised, these things ain't cheap. However, when I first started a program of systematically eliminating the English Sparrows and Starlings that were harassing my nesting birds. I was killing up to 10 per day. Now, 1 year later, I have to shoot 1 or 2 per week. On my farm, the Purple Martins, Bluebirds, Chicadees, Tree Swallows, and Phoebees, all live and raise their young in peace. Well worth the expense, time, and effort.

[handyman315]

. . . springers are the most difficult to shoot with precise accuracy. This is due to the double two directional recoil of this type of rifle. It doesn't matter if the rifle's power plant is spring piston or nitro piston, a piston driven rifle has double recoil, and requires a great amount of practice to developed the perfect follow through necessary to hit a target as small as a house sparrow at any distance greater than 3 feet. The other types of air guns are Multi Pump, CO 2, and Pre Charged Pneumatic. . . .

Springerpanhead, so, so true! Replacing the seals in my ancient Benjamin multi-pump gave me a real lesson in WHY it is SO accurate, while air guns like my way newer model - one-stroke break barrel Sheridan are worthless . . . MOVING PARTS. Without a bunch of technical drawings, that "double recoil" you describe, and the shooter feels, is bigger, way bigger - heavier - moving parts. The gun is shaking before the pellet ever leaves the barrel !

Put another way that one-pump Sheridan is merely cocking itself preparing to slam that way heavy sliding cylinder into a small chamber of air, as opposed to the multi-pump Benjamin that literally does all the shaking while I pump, usually 4 to 6 pumps, air into a much larger holding chamber waiting for the bolt action cocking mechanism to fire a very tiny firing "pin" into the releasing orifice which will unleash the trapped air and fire the pellet.

These guns are all powerful, dangerously powerful and should never be considered "toys" in any way, shape or form. They are guns like any other gun and should be treated as such. In that regard, I wish my Benjamin was a little more quiet, not nearly as loud as a .22 short, but loud enough even in a rural setting to raise eyebrows even when safely - very safely - fired.

Thanks Springerpanhead, loved your comments.

[Bcorbs1217]

Okay, this is weird... I was out back most of the morning and the 2 sparrows stayed away from the gourd while I was in the yard. It got too hot (93 here today) so I went inside. I got out the binocs and the female was building to beat the band. Ten minutes later, I come back outside and she's nowhere to be seen. The male was looking for her as well. This was two hours ago and she hasn't been back. Go figure.

[pcolamike]

Yes, they are sneaky that way. They seem to keep an eye on all your possible egresses to your yard. In fact I've caught them flying away as soon as I open the door. Trap, shoot, whatever can do. Just try to keep them under control. It is a never-ending process.

[Matt F.]

the female was building to beat the band.

Love it!

[Bcorbs1217]

Update... I tried the pool noodle last night but between wobbling on a ladder and the gourd rack starting to turn (I have a round pole I'm replacing next year) I gave up. I didn't want to startle the martins.

I woke up this morning and the female was in the RBT. I had put some nesting material in there as well as millet and water. Two male HOSP's have followed her inside but not her mate. He's a smart one. Do you think he will go into the trap?

[Rockchalk]

Interesting some think the springer air rifles are less accurate. Mine is a tack driver. I shot a sparrow last weekend from 40 yards out. Not kidding about the 40 yards either. Walked it off myself. Mine does have a scope that is dialed in well?

[Curtis Reil]

Interesting some think the springer air rifles are less accurate. Mine is a tack driver. I shot a sparrow last weekend from 40 yards out. Not kidding about the 40 yards either. Walked it off myself. Mine does have a scope that is dialed in well?

I wouldn't say that springers are less accurate to a point. They are certainly harder to learn how to shoot accurately. There is no disputing that you give a person a PCP and a Springer that they will be able to shoot a PCP much more accurate in a much shorter window of time. The bulk of my air rifle work is within 30 yards and I just wasn't happy with the Springer I had in my hands. In someone else's who knows. I routinely practice with my PCP out to 100 yards. That's not a typo. For myself, I know I couldn't do that with a Springer. I run target turrets, bubble level, hold over reticle and treat it just as I do my long range centerfire rifles. Wind is the largest variable when launching these little pills but quite literally, if conditions allow; any small trash bird is in serious trouble inside 75 yards. I know that I cannot do that with a Springer. Trust me I tried!

[Rockchalk]

75 yards on a sparrow sized target is great accuracy. My recent shot was actually about 50 but didn't want to bost I was amazed I made it. Sounds like I need to look into a getting a new toy.

[KathyF]

I can't get the "hold" on the springers right. But I can nail a sparrow with my RWS 850 air rifle at 75 -100 also. And I can trap like a wild woman.

Oh - and don't laugh - that's 75 to 100 FEET
Anything over that and the English House sparrow / starling is LOL'ing at me.