Nest box traps-painting?

[C.C.Martins]

All,
Quite determined to rid our area of house sparrows on and off season. Add starlings to the list. I was shooting from the truck to get to them at times. (Shooting is my primary control measure). Climbed on an airconditioner once to get one off the roof, he was centering on the gourds. Ended up climbing up there to retrieve it haha. 37 HOSP and 7 starlings down though, pellets way more accurate than bbs.

Even resorted to a sticky trap, which I'm not a fan of...was nervous the whole time. Worked though. I want to do what I can now without resorting to that again.

Have a blains for the ground, live bait is best! Training our sparrows to think the back yard is a great place to eat to lure them in, either to shoot or trap all off season. Have another trap Mr Barrow let me borrow as well.

Played sparrow calls, and they work. Shot 10 or 11 that way. Males especially seem drawn to the chick call.

have two spare o doors but got them late in the season...will keep them on the lower level of the castle all next season.

Have some van ert traps coming-going to borrow an idea from Steve K; he put 4 nest box traps up on a hub with rope and pulley to control sparrows and starlings. Want to place it where they are likely to come from, but can move it around.

Have two nest box traps from PMCA, both worked pretty good. White feathers in the trap, just a whip of grass hanging out, make it look used by dirtying up the entrances, some junk they use as a nest scattered around on the ground under really helped. Kathy F has some great tips. So I placed them on a corner wall under the eves, they seemed to like that.

So my question is, should I paint the box traps white? Make the entrance hole contrast better? any color ok for these pests? We've all seen pictures of them nesting in rusted pipes, and signs, probably won't matter a bit but if a little tweaking helps im in.
Appreciate any input.
Thanks
Tom

[Martintown33]

Seems like you got it covered Tom… the little sneaks will be in trouble in your yard. As far as color, they seem to like the white on Martin houses. Might be good just to stick to what they’re used to.
Happy hunting!
Rob

[C.C.Martins]

White it is, thanks. I hope so, I started in ernest after my neighbors gourds were in trouble; thats when the traps came out. Still late, martins were nesting at that point. Id shoot every one that came looking for ours but his wife won't stand it. I think the best defense is to get aggressive, trap like crazy and shoot.
Additionally, our satellite site can use a ST1. Thats in the works...im torn between a mirror image of the sparrow nest box trap cluster ill build here (I have two hubs) for the site out there or the ST1....well see. I love planning for next season!

[Ed Pace]

I like your aggressiveness that extra effort is what makes it all pay off, keep up the good work
Ed.

[Martintown33]

Agree about the aggressiveness… I shot many from my blind (air rifle pellet gun with scope) early in the season… but they seemed to have caught on, that my housing meant danger for them! Didn’t have many at all after first few weeks… the few that did try, met the same fate as their other pesky buddies! They become nightime dinner for the neighborhood cats! Those cats love their nightime surprise treats!
Happy hunting Tom..
Rob

[C.C.Martins]

Hahaha, yes they do! Wonder if cat owners are saying "where does this cat get all these BIRDS" very nice. I was trying for a male sparrow yesterday, like you said I think he's onto me. I heard him in a tree top think he saw me and didn't come in. Soon enough.

[Martintown33]

Ha., fat cats Tom! Yep, those HOSPS are sneaky and cagey… persistence, smarts, good trap and/or good aim always gets them eventually!
Rob

[starling shooter]

Paint NB trap white and paint fake black holes on three sides.

I’ve actually seen starlings try to go in fake hole

[C.C.Martins]

Thats good, thanks