TRAPS OPTIONS
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Guest
I have a bit of age on me but I hate sparrows and starlings and that preceeds any interest, in martins. As a newbe I have two questions. Where can I see a homemade ground type trap. That's one. The second: define what is meant, on this site, when the subject is sparrows.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Hey docgipe
On the PMCA shop, look under "traps." You'll find two square mesh traps that sit on a pole. These are mostly for sparrows, more precisely "house sparrows." I think they used to be called "English Sparrows." If you'll search in the archive section here for "house sparrow" you'll find many articles on these non-native birds. Read a couple of articles by Steve Kroenke and you'll be an expert.
A couple of tips on these traps. Many folks bait them with bird seed. I've found that when house sparrows are building a nest, tearing it out and putting some of it in the trap is a good "bait." And if you can find a few feathers, they can't resist. You must watch the traps closely because many native birds can get trapped as well, and can be released.
To find the archive section, just scroll down on the Forum or the Homepage to the blank slot where you type in key words, such as "house sparrow." There's also an article on how to humanly and quickly kill these birds -- basically a quick jerk to the neck. It's not pleasant and I always feel a bit of regret and even silently apologize to the sparrow. Okay, I'm sentimental too. It's just just a hard choice we make to protect our beautiful native martins.
John Miller
On the PMCA shop, look under "traps." You'll find two square mesh traps that sit on a pole. These are mostly for sparrows, more precisely "house sparrows." I think they used to be called "English Sparrows." If you'll search in the archive section here for "house sparrow" you'll find many articles on these non-native birds. Read a couple of articles by Steve Kroenke and you'll be an expert.
A couple of tips on these traps. Many folks bait them with bird seed. I've found that when house sparrows are building a nest, tearing it out and putting some of it in the trap is a good "bait." And if you can find a few feathers, they can't resist. You must watch the traps closely because many native birds can get trapped as well, and can be released.
To find the archive section, just scroll down on the Forum or the Homepage to the blank slot where you type in key words, such as "house sparrow." There's also an article on how to humanly and quickly kill these birds -- basically a quick jerk to the neck. It's not pleasant and I always feel a bit of regret and even silently apologize to the sparrow. Okay, I'm sentimental too. It's just just a hard choice we make to protect our beautiful native martins.
John Miller
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Guest
Here are some links of house sparrows. Those are the only sparrows that you can legally kill in our country. All other sparrows are native and good sparrows. The house sparrow is the only cavity nester, so if you see a sparrow building a nest in your martin housing, I think you could bet money that it's a house sparrow. Don't confuse house sparrows with house finches though. House finches are a native bird and nice birds to have around. I had a pair nest in my martin house one year. I know it's highly discouraged to let other bird species (other than martins) nest in your martin housing, but I was particularly disgusted that year and at least wanted some good bird to nest there, so when they started building a nest, I didn't tear it out; they raised four babies.
Here are some links to pages that will hopefully help you to be able to identify house sparrows (BAD birds) and house finches (GOOD birds):
House sparrow female:
http://backyardbirdcam.com/gallery/sparrow-house-f.htm
House sparrow male:
http://www.nenature.com/HouseSparrowPhoto.htm
More house sparrow pictures:
http://natureali.org/house_sparrow.htm
Here's an EXCELLENT website that tells you probably almost anything you'd want to know about house sparrows, the damage they do, and what you can do about them:
http://www.sialis.org/hosp.htm
and here is her homepage where you can learn LOTS about bluebirds:
http://www.sialis.org/index.html
Here's a male house FINCH:
http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/HouseFinch001.htm
As you can see, it would be hard to mistake it for a house sparrow, BUT as you can see on the following websites, it would be a lot easier to mistake a female house finch for a female house sparrow:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/bow/houfin/
http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/Hfinchf01.htm
More pics of house finches:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i5190id.html
Click on "Song" on the left side of that page to hear what they sound like.
I'm sure you'll agree that their song is much more pleasant than the annoying cheep cheep cheep of a house sparrow. Listen:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/84/_/H ... arrow.aspx
Of course, there are many native sparrows, which of course could be confused with a house sparrow (female). I know that many people who kill house sparrows by shooting only shoot the male because of the possibility of confusion of the female with another species. Another good reason for killing the male is because then the female will be likely to abandon the territory. If you kill the female, however, the male will stay in that same territory and attract another mate.
I hope all this info isn't too overwhelming.
Here are some links to pages that will hopefully help you to be able to identify house sparrows (BAD birds) and house finches (GOOD birds):
House sparrow female:
http://backyardbirdcam.com/gallery/sparrow-house-f.htm
House sparrow male:
http://www.nenature.com/HouseSparrowPhoto.htm
More house sparrow pictures:
http://natureali.org/house_sparrow.htm
Here's an EXCELLENT website that tells you probably almost anything you'd want to know about house sparrows, the damage they do, and what you can do about them:
http://www.sialis.org/hosp.htm
and here is her homepage where you can learn LOTS about bluebirds:
http://www.sialis.org/index.html
Here's a male house FINCH:
http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/HouseFinch001.htm
As you can see, it would be hard to mistake it for a house sparrow, BUT as you can see on the following websites, it would be a lot easier to mistake a female house finch for a female house sparrow:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/bow/houfin/
http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/Hfinchf01.htm
More pics of house finches:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i5190id.html
Click on "Song" on the left side of that page to hear what they sound like.
I'm sure you'll agree that their song is much more pleasant than the annoying cheep cheep cheep of a house sparrow. Listen:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/84/_/H ... arrow.aspx
Of course, there are many native sparrows, which of course could be confused with a house sparrow (female). I know that many people who kill house sparrows by shooting only shoot the male because of the possibility of confusion of the female with another species. Another good reason for killing the male is because then the female will be likely to abandon the territory. If you kill the female, however, the male will stay in that same territory and attract another mate.
I hope all this info isn't too overwhelming.
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Guest
Thanks Cathy, I did not know the words house sparrow. English Sparrows I did know. I have and know all of the regular birds and some of the occasional visitors. Because of the new words or use of words I thought there was a bird I did not know maybe sneaking in on me.
Sneaking in! I had a Carolina Wren this winter. This was a first at my feeding site. It was a couple and they stayed here, for three weeks. Now they are elsewhere.
Sneaking in! I had a Carolina Wren this winter. This was a first at my feeding site. It was a couple and they stayed here, for three weeks. Now they are elsewhere.
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CUL Lou~Mich
Docgipe. Technically, we are referring to the English House Sparrow. You'll sometimes see it abbreviated at EHS also. Same bird. CUL Lou
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Guest
Yes, you are right...house sparrow = English sparrow. Lou said the same thing but I thought I'd answer you back.docgipe wrote:Thanks Cathy, I did not know the words house sparrow. English Sparrows I did know. I have and know all of the regular birds and some of the occasional visitors. Because of the new words or use of words I thought there was a bird I did not know maybe sneaking in on me.
Sneaking in! I had a Carolina Wren this winter. This was a first at my feeding site. It was a couple and they stayed here, for three weeks. Now they are elsewhere.
