Sparrows
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zekeandbelle
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: michigan
Hello all .. does anyone near me have access to a live sparrow or two? I have seen and trapped very few this summer but now that I have 24 baby Martin's, three sparrows have shown up and are perched and chirping from three trio houses constantly, and are not going in any of my traps. They're not even going in the houses or I would use the spare o door that is so effective. I can't shoot them because of all the babies… So I was thinking a live one in a trap would help considerably I live in Oakland County Michigan but would be happy to drive somewhere to pick one up. Thanks much ..
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DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi
Wal-mart has them.
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2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
I have not had much luck trapping this time of year. They are not searching up and down for housing and there is so much nature food available that they don't really go after baited traps either. Like you said, if you can get one you might be able to draw more into a trap. Good luck.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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HighRise071117
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:15 am
- Location: Perry County, PA USA
- Martin Colony History: 2019
Pole #1, T-14 with Troyer Tunnels and 1 brown natural gourd, 1 white natural gourd, 1 Troyer Horizontal gourd, 1 Troyer Vertical gourd hanging underneath, 96' from residence.
Pole #2, K-Series 18 gourd rack with 1 PMCA's Excluder, 3 Troyer Vertical, 3 Troyer Horizontal gourds, 64' from residence.
Pole #3 T-14 with round entrances. Two decoys sitting on porches 32' from residence.
2019
ASY male with SY female arrived 05/25/2019. I can not prove but I think he is the SY male that was here last year. He went to same Troyer Vertical gourd he favored last year. They have been here every day since arriving including today (05/30/2019).
2018
One SY Male stayed 30+ days but was unable to get one of many females to stay and nest. A couple other SY males tried for a week or so and also failed.
Hi zekeandbelle:zekeandbelle wrote:Hello all .. does anyone near me have access to a live sparrow or two? I have seen and trapped very few this summer but now that I have 24 baby Martin's, three sparrows have shown up and are perched and chirping from three trio houses constantly, and are not going in any of my traps. They're not even going in the houses or I would use the spare o door that is so effective. I can't shoot them because of all the babies… So I was thinking a live one in a trap would help considerably I live in Oakland County Michigan but would be happy to drive somewhere to pick one up. Thanks much ..
Your statement: "I can't shoot them because of all the babies…"
Are you saying you can't shoot the sparrows because of the purple martin babies?
If so, the purple martin babies do not care.
When you have an opportunity to shot the sparrows do so.
The purple martin parents will thank you.
What gun are you using?
Regards,
HighRise
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zekeandbelle
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: michigan
Hi highrise,
thanks for the reply...the houses are full of martin babies and I am not accurate enough with the pellet gun (with a scope) to trust that I wouldn't hit the house instead.. but I managed to trap 6 sparrows that one day last week, after I had a live one in the trap. Didn't have any sparrows for weeks and weeks, then suddenly a bunch showed up! So sparrows are all gone and hopefully, babies will fledge soon. Now if I can just keep the owl away until they all leave I will be extremely thankful! sad to see them leave, but so very thankful that they have survived!!
thanks for the reply...the houses are full of martin babies and I am not accurate enough with the pellet gun (with a scope) to trust that I wouldn't hit the house instead.. but I managed to trap 6 sparrows that one day last week, after I had a live one in the trap. Didn't have any sparrows for weeks and weeks, then suddenly a bunch showed up! So sparrows are all gone and hopefully, babies will fledge soon. Now if I can just keep the owl away until they all leave I will be extremely thankful! sad to see them leave, but so very thankful that they have survived!!
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cnevett27
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:40 am
- Location: Washington, MO
- Martin Colony History: Hosting martins for about 5-6 years, keeping records back to 2014. Using all gourds-horizonal Troyers and Excluders
2018 33 pair, 140 fledged
2017-25 pair, 106 fledged
2016 25 pair, 87 fledged
2015 24 pair, 70 fledged
2014 21 pair, 43 fledged
You have my sympathy. I never imagined that being a martin landlord was going to require a new skill, shooting with a 22. I have been doing a lot of target practice, but still, a sparrow is small, not much room for error. I also have had no luck with my repeater sparrow traps this year. Last year caught lots. This year, its a very small amount. I think the gun has scared them away. We mean business over here. Its funny because I have a suet feeder right off the porch in the yard and all the birds come to it. When the sparrows come, thats when they get shot. The native birds seem to know they are ok. They come right back after I shoot. It seems they know that they are not the target The other day, I had a red bellied woodpecker on my suet cage and a female sparrow came up and fought with it. They are really aggressive and not afraid of size or beak. I am happy you caught those sparrows and that your martins are safe...for now.
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HighRise071117
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:15 am
- Location: Perry County, PA USA
- Martin Colony History: 2019
Pole #1, T-14 with Troyer Tunnels and 1 brown natural gourd, 1 white natural gourd, 1 Troyer Horizontal gourd, 1 Troyer Vertical gourd hanging underneath, 96' from residence.
Pole #2, K-Series 18 gourd rack with 1 PMCA's Excluder, 3 Troyer Vertical, 3 Troyer Horizontal gourds, 64' from residence.
Pole #3 T-14 with round entrances. Two decoys sitting on porches 32' from residence.
2019
ASY male with SY female arrived 05/25/2019. I can not prove but I think he is the SY male that was here last year. He went to same Troyer Vertical gourd he favored last year. They have been here every day since arriving including today (05/30/2019).
2018
One SY Male stayed 30+ days but was unable to get one of many females to stay and nest. A couple other SY males tried for a week or so and also failed.
Hi zekeandbelle,
What brand and model # pellet rifle are you using?
If it does not have a rifled barrel (spiral grooves the length of the barrel),
you will barley be able to hit the broad side of a barn.
I have a Crossman F4 with a Crosman scope. This model is only available at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-F4-C ... s/53968151
It shoots .177 pellets only and top speed is 695fps (feet per second). Very quiet (no crack like a .22).
I use a camera tripod as a stable prop.
I have it sighted in at 15 yards. Four out of five shots under a quarter.
I use Crosman Premier hollow point 7.9 grain pellets.
I can pick off sparrows no problem.
HighRise
What brand and model # pellet rifle are you using?
If it does not have a rifled barrel (spiral grooves the length of the barrel),
you will barley be able to hit the broad side of a barn.
I have a Crossman F4 with a Crosman scope. This model is only available at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-F4-C ... s/53968151
It shoots .177 pellets only and top speed is 695fps (feet per second). Very quiet (no crack like a .22).
I use a camera tripod as a stable prop.
I have it sighted in at 15 yards. Four out of five shots under a quarter.
I use Crosman Premier hollow point 7.9 grain pellets.
I can pick off sparrows no problem.
HighRise