sparrow trapping questions

lucyth · Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:07 am

I got my traps in a few days ago and started trying to trap sparrows yesterday. I got the kind that you put in as a replacement for existing doors. The problem I have is they trigger so easily that 3 of the four cavities that I thought I'd trapped a sparrow in, turned out to be falsely tripped. They were still empty. The one sparrow I trapped was probably a female house sparrow, but I am not a good enough birder to be confident it wasn't some other kind of sparrow so I let it go. I really need to catch the males to feel confident I know what I have.

But I got to thinking -- I have one martin house. 12 cavities. 5 are claimed by sparrows. What would happen if I closed off the cavity entrances by putting my winter door stops in the sparrow cavities? Would that just start a war between the sparrows and martins, or would there be any chance the sparrows would just pick up and leave?

I can keep trapping if I have to, but I was frustrated by my lack of success.

Guest · Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:11 am

Close the ones with Martins for the day. The Sparrows will start to move into the Martin cavities if you close their cavities. Until you start getting martin to build nest and lay eggs you should close down the other door when the martins are gone for the day and just open the ones with traps in the sparrow cavities. Make sure you are able to watch the house and get any birds out of the traps asap. Females are just as important to eliminate as males.

This is a good site to id birds.

http://www.sialis.org/hospphotos.htm

Good luck.

KathyF · Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:38 am

lucy -
male hosp:

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc33 ... parrow.jpg

best photo of a female I've ever found:
http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc33 ... parrow.jpg

do NOT close off the cavities the HOSP are using - they'll just take the martins' cavities! KEEP trapping - and get rid of them!

Chances are real good that when a sparrow is entering your martin house that it is a HOSP, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Guest · Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:50 am

Make sure to check that the traps were not sprung while re-raising the PM house itself. I've done that a time or two...

Emil Pampell-Tx · Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:52 am

If your traps are tripping, you may be shaking the house too much. Jerking the house or leaning it may trigger the traps. Try moving the house more slowly so you don't shake the traps. Another thing to try is to only raise the house about halfway, as the traps may then stay open. If you raise the house with a winch, go real slowly.

A sparrow is very small, the traps must be sensitive (trigger easily), or the lightweight sparrows will not trigger the traps.

I often trap them in a single room house, by using a single nestbox, I can set the trigger and gently place the trap on the pole. I use a stepladder so the trap is only high enough so that I can reach it from the ladder.

John Miller · Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:02 am

These traps are sensitive -- as Emil and other noted. The wind moving a house can trip them. You could put a sliver of tape on the lever to make it less sensitive, but I think if you move the house slowly, as said, you'll get the hang of it.

Sometimes I don't see the point of removing the female either -- in fact, it makes the male more disruptive because unmated sparrows roam about the housing, but most folks prefer to reduce the number of sparrows.

I'd not close off compartments because it's disruptive to martins, if they are in residence in good numbers -- and the sparrows will never leave -- except trapped.

Thank you for taking care of your colony. These martins are pretty special birds.

John M

zoefluf · Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:07 am

Being VERY experienced in the drama of sparrow trapping, my advice to you is:
Never give up until the very last sparrow has been eliminated, until then all of your Martins are at risk.

It doesn't matter if it is a female or a male, whichever one you DON'T trap, the OTHER will bring back another mate.

You can tear out their nests, break their eggs, shoot at them, close up the openings, whatever, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING discourages them! Believe me, I have tried it all.

I, like a lot of other newcomers to the forum, didn't want to harm the "cute little birds". And I still go through anquish as I'm disposing of them, but sadly, they just will not cooperate when we politely suggest to them that they find other lodgings.

Please, don't get me started. I could write a book about my experiences and escapades with those little devils! Hummm, maybe I should.

Jeanne

tor · Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:03 pm

if you are using a UST, try putting a little grass or straw under the trip arm. I do this, and the arm is not as floppy, and the trap will stay set. Just my 2 cents.....

Guest · Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:18 pm

Probably head this before but the deluxe repeating trap has captured dozens of HOSP. Last year was the first year I used it and it took a week or two to get them in there but once they started coming in, I just left one in as bait and I stopped counting after 70 or so birds. Dozens and dozens of HOSP. In fact after a while, I noticed a significant reduction in the entire area of HOSP.

The neighbors used to have them nesting in the deck and their neighbors and so on. By the end of last season, I did not see a single HOSP nest anywhere near my house.

tcg · Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:09 pm

I'm just getting started with HOSP trapping. I bought a Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap about two months ago and didn't catch a single bird with it using all sorts of baits. Then, last week I finally caught a female HOSP in my Ultimate Sparrow Trap. I transferred it to my DRST and within three hours I had three more HOSP in it. Amazing. Just gotta have the RIGHT bait I guess.

lucyth · Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:25 pm

Okay, I just ordered the repeating trap some of you recommended.

I was out there all afternoon watching my two doors that were set as traps, and it was like the sparrows had figured it out! They were going in the other doors, but they avoided the two with the traps. Finally after I came in they are both closed, but I don't know if it was the wind or if I actually caught anything. After today I think I will wait till I get my new trap in to start this up again. I'll keep cleaning out their nests every day though.

Thanks for all the help!

Guest · Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:03 am

If I have a sparrow looking bird at my house checking out nesting cavities Its a house sparrow in my book and dies. To my knowledge I don't have any other cavity nesting sparrow species in my area.

stan davison · Mon Apr 12, 2010 6:26 pm

I know i probably say this every year but i swear this year is the worst for HOSP. I am getting at least one every day and some days up to 5. It just never ends but then i think what my set up would be like if i never disposed of those little boogers. YIkes i would not have any martins.... My neighbor down the street from me asked me to put up a martin house for her. So i set up a Trio with a gourd underneath and she has had some lookers but i presume they are from my place just checking it out. I have left a permanent spare-o-door at her place and she calls me every morning to let me know the red bar is showing

I have probably taken 40 sparrows off her hands too. I am hoping this sparrow activity subsides before egg laying. That is when the trouble really starts......