Sparrow trap advice

[pleaseeemailme]

Hi~ just want to get some feedback regarding sparrow traps: are they actually helpful…if so which to recommend.
My PM’s just started arriving less than a week ago. Today I was placing nest inserts into my T-14 and found a dead adult male Martin pecked. There were small feathers inside as well indicating it was most likely a sparrow. Every year as we all know they are an incredible nuisance. And today I was so disappointed finding this Martin. So! The big question is about sparrow traps. Do they indeed help? I see so many variations and if recommended….which one?
I also hung for the first time 4 gourds off the t-14 which grew so much interest not only with sparrows, but house finches(which I’ve never seen near the PM house before). Are finches a threat as well?
Lastly….I just replaced the old crank up winch with the new one that works off a drill. Wow! Effortless. I strongly recommend if anyone is thinking about going that route. Was the best decision I made. Now I have to figure how to keep the sparrow population at bay and leave my birds alone:((. All recommendations, please!!!!! Thx

[C.C.Martins]

Yes they are absolutely necessary. Its why they make them, they work great but each has its time and place. A nest box or insert trap trap will rarely work in winter, they want food.
For your T14 id recommend the universal sparrow trap. Its a small insert trap that fits inside.
I'd also recommend (depending on your gourds) the troyer S&S controller trap for troyer gourds or the PMCA insert trap for super gourds or excluder gourds.
Can get the PMCA wire trap, has 3 doors on top. Two on the end to catch them. Its a fantastic trap, works great when ripping out nests, place the material in the trap. Or place white feathers in the open trap doors, they cannot resist white feathers.
For the fledges or during winter, the blains repeating ground trap, just Google sparrowtraps . Net.
Remember traps need to be monitored!
id also say get a bird house or two from Walmart, buy 2 or 3 van ert insert traps and put them up within view of your martin house, the van ert fits on 2 screws with a wire trigger, they enter and hit the trigger door closes.
A range of trapping options for all year control will go a long way to make your martins safe.
Last.....a pellet gun.
Hope this helps...do a search here for sparrow traps all kids of good information is available. Also most of the traps i mentioned are for purchase here at PMCA.
Tom

[flyin-lowe]

I have had a Blaines repeating sparrow trap as well as insert traps in my T14.

The Blaines was a good trap but it was really hit and miss. I would go weeks without anything then catch 5 or 6 then nothing. Keeping a "bait" bird alive really helps. One day I found a sparrow on the ground that fledged early and couldn't fly. I put it in the trap and caught 11 within a couple hours, that helpless baby really drew them in. I used the trap until it fell apart.

Insert traps also work will in the T 14. I usually set one section of my T14 up a month or so before the martins arrive and leave one hole open. I have really good luck this way, once they get in nesting mode the bait traps don't work as well. The issue I have with nest traps is the sparrows are pretty intelligent. Once I have more than one cavity open as the martins start to arrive they become harder to trap and if they see something out of the ordinary they will move to another cavity.

Once the martins arrive I stop with the insert trap and rely on shooting.

[Phil01]

I too had house finches trying to nest in the house for the first time this year…. I had replaced my old house with a sunset inn house and hung 4 gourds under it. Had 3 pairs in the gourds. Over a month ago I noticed finches perching on the house for a week or so, then I saw the female bring in a ft long piece of Spanish moss…. I had a Martin land on the west side of the house and the male finch went after the Martin and ran them off… They never messed with the martins in the gourds only when they landed on the house. That was enough for me since I’m wanting them to take to the new house this year. I lowered the housing to take a look and sure enough a well built nest in there with no eggs yet. So I removed the nest, plugged the holes for 3 days and they moved on… then about a week or so later, same thing… Again, plugged the holes for a few days and they moved on. I’m glad I did it cause now I have a SY pair on each side of the house with a few singles…
I’m not sure if the finches would actually hurt the nesting martins or their nests but they certainly were deterring them from the house. Cute little birds but they can’t have my Martin housing… lol
Phil

[Dave Duit]

I use a repeating elevator trap and also a Van Ert cavity trap. Those sparrows I don't catch in the elevator and Van Ert, end up on the receiving end of my pellet gun. Sparrows are considered a rare species in my area.

[C.C.Martins]

Dave,
Van ert traps are a real gem. They don't look like much but wow are they effective. Starlings and house sparrows both.
I darkened the red circle and painted white streaks (to look like poop) on the door. I love them, even integrated two into an older model trio trap house. Took a bit of cutting to fit, but fit it does!