Ok, I got some glue traps. Can't shoot straight anymore and for right now can't afford a sparrow trap. I have a male sparrow building in one of my double gourds, his nest is about finished and he is starting to chase off any martins nearby his nest so I figure now is the time to put in a glue trap. Luckily, I can open the back of the double gourd exposing the spot behind his hay tunnel (where I presume the eggs will be placed).
Any special way to put this in? I mean should I tape it to the bottom of the gourd or leave it loose so that maybe he'll get caught up better in it? Put some hay on the edges perhaps to blend it in? No way a martin can get into the glue trap now because of the tunnel, so I feel pretty safe nothing else wil get caught. Was hoping maybe somebody else has had success with these glue traps and might have some ideas.
I'm really hoping if I catch the female, that the male will come investigate and I'll get both, but if I have to get only ONE, I hope its the male.
Glue traps for Sparrows...
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
I recently tried some glue traps at a golf course site where I "assist" and had a little success -- out of three cavities caught one sparrow. I was scared a martin might get in and I did different things to make the holes smaller. On a natural gourd, I put little thumb tacks in the lip of the SREH opening that's cut into the gourd. On an aluminum SREH, I sheathed it over with a piece of aluminum to make it smaller. I'm worried you say a martin can't get in a tunnel because martins love tunnel entrances. Just take precautions.
John Miller
John Miller
Sigundo,
Ckeck often because they can sometimes wiggle out of the glue trap. Once that happens, you've got an untrappable monster on your hands. Sometimes they'll be good and stuck. Other times only some feather are stuck and they can pull or wiggle free. The abundance of the grass in the nest is on your side, though. They can't struggle and flap as much with so much grass stuffed inside. Good luck.
Patrick
Ckeck often because they can sometimes wiggle out of the glue trap. Once that happens, you've got an untrappable monster on your hands. Sometimes they'll be good and stuck. Other times only some feather are stuck and they can pull or wiggle free. The abundance of the grass in the nest is on your side, though. They can't struggle and flap as much with so much grass stuffed inside. Good luck.
Patrick
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Sigundo
Well, this is a long tunnel entrance that I think only the sparrow himself can get through. Sadly, the back of the gourd is pretty open once you're past the hay tunnel, so it might be able to flap free, but if he can get stuck long enough for me to block the front, he can just stay in there until he is no more.
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roblrich
Glue traps work!
I put mine in the rear with as much as the sparrow's nest as possible blocking it from view. Don't skimp on your glue traps, as the cheap ones you might purchase from the Dollar General Store will not work. But the more expensive ones you get from Walmart or Lowe's are great. I only caught a few feathers with the cheaper glue traps.
Yesterday, I caught both the male and female in one gourd in the same trap at the same time. It was like winning the lottery when I opened the gourd up to remove them. I also caught the female from a more problematic pair in another gourd. I still need to catch that male and I will finally be sparrow free for the moment. But that male is smart.
With porched crescents (S&K type), glue traps are the only option. But they are effective and fairly safe when the sparrow nest is complete to near complete as martins shouldn't enter at that time.
I put mine in the rear with as much as the sparrow's nest as possible blocking it from view. Don't skimp on your glue traps, as the cheap ones you might purchase from the Dollar General Store will not work. But the more expensive ones you get from Walmart or Lowe's are great. I only caught a few feathers with the cheaper glue traps.
Yesterday, I caught both the male and female in one gourd in the same trap at the same time. It was like winning the lottery when I opened the gourd up to remove them. I also caught the female from a more problematic pair in another gourd. I still need to catch that male and I will finally be sparrow free for the moment. But that male is smart.
With porched crescents (S&K type), glue traps are the only option. But they are effective and fairly safe when the sparrow nest is complete to near complete as martins shouldn't enter at that time.