Sparrows

[Trosl1]

Anyone shooting sparrows off their Martin house with Martin present. Open to suggestions on how to get rid of these pest.

[Whippy]

I shot a starling off my T-14 with about 10 or so Martins on it. They just watched him tumble to the ground and went about their business.

I used a .22 with a Calibri bullet which is a casing with only a primer and bullet. No powder. It's like a glorified pellet gun but a hell of a lot quieter.

Coolwhips

[deancamp]

I do, sometimes they scatter at the sound of the gun shot sometimes they do nothing. I'm using a 17hmr, so it makes some noise.

[randyM]

I've been using a 12-gauge shotgun to eliminate house sparrows and starlings visiting my housing since the start of my colony years ago. I use non-toxic steel shot #7 and only shoot when I have a clear line of sight with no martins within 10 yards. I can knock out intruders from 45+ yards away usually while they are perched on an elevated perching site, but sometimes when they are flying. I offer bodies of the unlucky invasive targets to a den of foxes living on my property. The martins at my site react to this activity by leaving their perch sites due to the shotgun report with some even divebombing the targeted intruder once it hits the ground. The martins don't leave the immediate area and the colony is back to normal within a minute or so. Obviously this method is only an option if you have a colony site located in a very rural area. My nearest neighbors are over a mile away.

Randy

[C.C.Martins]

You will get mixed reviews. Some have had close calls.
Iv shot them off the gourds with martins present, ill never pull the trigger unless its clear, a good shot, and will continue to do so.
Think about a combination of trapping and shooting. Shooting should always be an option, but the combo is deadly.
Some simple bird houses with reduced hole, stick a van ert trap in it. Could buy a repeating ground trap and place your sparrows you catch with the van ert in it, they act as great bait. Could (and I love doing this), shoot the sparrows that come investigate the trap birds, pop em right off the trap. They are sitting ducks.

[Thomabear]

I've shot several with the Martins watching on without any problems. I've had them fly off for a few seconds and sometimes they just sit there and enjoy the show. Just be careful and wait for a clear shot. I prefer shooting them off the perch rods. That way I won't shoot through the sparrow and possibly punch a hole in the house. Also, you have a better chance of them falling to the ground without having to lower the house just to retrieve a sparrow off the porch.

[Conrad Baker]

I do it whenever I can safely. When the starling or sparrow falls to the ground, the Martins usually swoop down dive-bombing the dead bird.

[Martintown33]

Ditto toms reply. I too, shoot sparrows when martins are perching nearby, but only after I make certain a Martin cant suddenly decide to fly into my line of fire.
Rob