T14's and sparrows question.......................

[geneinmurphy]

This will be my first year to use a T14 that I built. I have the WDC entrances to help deter starlings, but I'm wondering if sparrow may become a problem now??? Are sparrow real fond of the T14? If so, what is the best safeguard here?? I don't have many sparrows in my neighborhood, but just wonder if they "come out of the woodwork" when a T14 is erected and how to combat them??

[Guest]

Hi!! I don't have a T-14, but I also have the WDC entrances. I switched my Goliad from round holes to the WDC entrances.
I believe there is an insert trap that will fit the T-14. But you will need to monitor it to make sure you don't catch a martin. You could also buy some other traps, like a nest box trap, RBT or ST-1. I have all the ones I mentioned and I also just put up a spare house towards the front of my yard that I put the spar-o-doors on and I have been SO SUCCESSFUL with that, I have caught 1 to 2 sparrows a day now, since putting it up!!!
I also shoot them, when I can, as I live in a regular neighborhood with the housing close, but if I'm sneaky, I can shoot them off the fence, or off the martin house without being in direct line with any neighbors house.

I trap & shoot all year long.
I didn't have many sparrows last year, but this year I've got a whole flock of them!!!!! ugghhhhh

[Sparky]

HOSP's, "Osmah Bin Laden's" of the bird world. HOSP's love anything that has a hole in it particulary T-14's and Bluebird boxes. In addition to the Starling and Sparrow prevention methods covered here by the PMCA, I would observe any nest building activity in the compartments and be armed with nest box traps that are made for the T-14. The HOSP's will be persistant, so putting trap or traps in those compartments is the only sure way to get those buggers!

[Nanette]

Hi,
The PMCA has T-14 sparrow traps. Good luck with your T-14, I'm putting one up this year too!

[Guest]

Whenever I put a trap in a t14 Hosps stay away from that cavity as if it was on fire. I guess in my case they suffer from a persecution complex and are very suspicious.

I let the hosps build their nest - when it is more or less finished I install insect glue traps in the middle of the nest.Usually the HOSP leaves a bunch of feathers behind and never come back.Some find this cruel. The way I look at it its a necessary evil.

By the way there is no danger of catching PMs with this method - they will not enter a cavity that has a HOSP nest in it.

[RC Moser]

My trio trap will work in my T-14 also. I just pull it up close to the entry hole. I would suggest keep it plugged up till you actually see PM's and site in you pellet rifle at that exact distances. I raise a target up on my T-14 to site in one of my guns. With a 40MM Bushnell sportman scope it like shooting basketballs at 30 Feet with the scope dialed in. I site my gun in every two weeks. I find the temperature, when it gets dirty and after cleaning, and any change of pellets requires resiting or checking.

You will have to deal with the sparrows as suggested they will want to take over you T-14 and will probably run off any PMs you get if they want that cavity. I lost Two SY's last year one had NB's. the other pair had just got a nest built.

[rdhd]

W

[John Miller]

Re: sparrows being wary of insert traps. I've had good luck with camaflauging the trap with a bit of their nest material. Just swirls some of it about the trap hole and press the trap against the front house entry. This looks more like the natural nest. You could set the trap further back too, and swirl nest material around it.

[Nanette]

RCmoser,
I know what you mean about sparrow and traps! If there is anything good to say about house sparrows, it is that they are smart! I have the same problem of them avoiding the trap but doing what John said about placing nest material around the front does help. What really sucks is when you see the bird go in and the trap fails to close!! I am still having trouble getting sparrows to go into my repeating trap. Someone suggested putting feathers in it and that is my game plan next weekend!

[Sparky]

Whenever I put a trap in a t14 Hosps stay away from that cavity as if it was on fire. I guess in my case they suffer from a persecution complex and are very suspicious.

I let the hosps build their nest - when it is more or less finished I install insect glue traps in the middle of the nest.Usually the HOSP leaves a bunch of feathers behind and never come back.Some find this cruel. The way I look at it its a necessary evil.

By the way there is no danger of catching PMs with this method - they will not enter a cavity that has a HOSP nest in it.

Stan,
Glad you had luck with the glue traps. The Sparrows I have here are too smart. They push nesting material through the opening till the glue trap is completely covered (and not sticky anymore). Then they move right in like nothing was there!

[Guest]

Sparky, I wait till the nest is finished (or just about) before inserting the glue traps. Actualy I use 3 traps and position them as a trianagle.