PMCA Stance on Nest Site Competitors?

[Fred Kaluza~MI]

I saw a post from a PMCA member today who said his post regarding the removal of non-native nest site competitors was “disallowed” on the Facebook PMCA site. Was this the action of a “bot” or a moderator acting under PMCA directives?

[rameye2]

I don't know the answer to your question. I just want to chime in, about two things:
One, I certainly hope the mods of the fb forum adjust their settings, or review their policy, to allow sharing information about sparrow and starling control. Invasive pest species are the major threat to native cavity-nesting birds, and they must be controlled. This involves sharing information about how to humanely exterminate them. We need to be able to share information on public forums about techniques to manage this threat.
Two, we forum users and bird lovers need to be mindful of the language we use about controlling invasive species. I dislike using euphemistic language, but I also realize that, to many people, a bird is a bird and any killing is wrong. It is counterproductive to use language that triggers a flame-war about the rights and wrongs of killing, or get drawn into all that. All I want is good discussion of how to exterminate sparrows.
That's my two cents worth, hopefully the fb forum gets it right.

[Mstan]

Rameye2, I believe the first thing as a landlord concerning these invasive species that kill our native martins is being determined they cannot coexist. With that being said we then strategize how to protect the martins. There are good traps on the market to capture hosp. The SREH have been very successful for me in dealing with starlings. The issue is now with the captured live hosp. To the best of my knowledge here in Missouri they can be exterminated. Therefore I have no problem doing so. I have my method which is sudden and hopefully without suffering. I also will use a pellet rifle to dispatch them as they avail themselves.

[MJM]

Details on humane dispatch of invasive species should absolutely be allowed on FB and the forums. Any true conservationist understands that invasive species are not native and thus compete with native species for resources and space- of which usually the native species is the loser.

Therefore, those complaining are the uninformed. If they are "defending" non-native House Sparrows and Starlings, it is because they are not properly educated on the situation and damage caused by these species. They probably also then don't know about the amazing patience and skill landlords have in relocating / working around native species like Bluebirds and Tree Swallows. They likely assume if anything lands on a Martin pole that is not a Martin, it is dispatched, which is 100% inaccurate.

So opportunities like this forum, and FB offer a chance for landlords to educate those who don't understand and help them learn why humanely dispatching invasive species is one of the only ways to protect our native ones like Purple Martins, Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.

[Bird Brain]

The US government labels House Sparrows as an invasive species, and an agricultural pest. They bother grain silos. So they are in the same category as carp, feral hogs, and fire ants. Shame on those who don't advocate their eradication. The PMCA also "does not recommend the use of any pesticides in the nest." I am unable to submit to this recommended code of conduct either. No Martin colony would exist without the extermination of HOSP and mites. Ignore advice that makes not sense and do what you KNOW has to be done.