Sparrow Building in Gourd

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streamingbob
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 09, 2024 5:56 am
Location: New Jersey

Folks, looking for votes on what to do about a sparrow building nest in one of my gourds. I know 'kill him' but aside from that should I clean out the nest and hope he gives up or just let him continue with just the one gourd?
Thanks
Bob
C.C.Martins
Posts: 3049
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025:
HOSP: Starlings: 3
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025:
PMCA member

Yep, kill them. You can clean out the nest, but it will put it all back quickly.
Trouble is its playing with fire, at some point he may decide the martins near by are a threat and get them if he's left alone. Eggs, chicks you name it. What do you have at your disposal? Pellet gun, traps etc?
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
streamingbob
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 09, 2024 5:56 am
Location: New Jersey

Yup, revenge is what I was afraid of. Last year after removing one nest I believe the sparrow destroyed 3 purple martin nests with eggs!
PS: Good shot BUT pellets bouncing of homes across the lagoon may cause some other issues!
C.C.Martins
Posts: 3049
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025:
HOSP: Starlings: 3
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025:
PMCA member

Best of luck, many options out there for you.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
scottfreidhof
Posts: 314
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 am
Location: Kentucky/Morehead

I have natural gourds without access caps so setting a trap in the gourd has not been an option for me. On the rare occasion when a house sparrow claims one of the martin gourds I throw up an extra, temporary bluebird box in the immediate vicinity and set the trap in the box at the same time. I use the PMCA bluebird nest box trap or the Van Ert trap - both work great. The male house sparrow has never seen this new nest box but they cannot help but to investigate it, usually very soon after set up. A feather or two inside the nest box can help to encourage them to enter but they often take the dive inside without much persuasion. This has worked for me more than once, so it might help you too.
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