Pesky Sparrow - will they ever give up?

[SE Wisc hopefull]

I have been trying for martins for too many years. This year I set up in a new location on the edge of the hay field, no trees and about 150’ from house. One gourd rack and one house. I also set up a couple tree swallow houses away (as tree swallow have taken house in past). Set up 3 types of sparrow traps and bought new pellet gun. So far I have had multiple visits but when I turn my back the sparrow drive off the visitors. I’ve trapped several, shot several … rest are too smart. As I open door to shoot the fly off, and won’t go in traps.
Question is if I clean out there nesting every day, will they ever give up? So far 2-3 weeks they build a new nest every day. Man are they stubborn

[C.C.Martins]

They will never give up, ever. Is it possible to bring the martin houses closer to your home and human activity? Id be willing to bet that will help you. Serves 2 perhaps 3 purposes, martins like our presence, sparrows hate us, and finally you will be able to really enjoy the martins.

Dont give up, keep after those buggers sounds like your doing the right things. last year we shot and trapped 103 sparrows, this year 36. big difference. Caught two in nest box traps this afternoon. Try setting up a blind, heck even your car window will serve that purpose. Iv a blind in back to cover the houses, but the majority Iv shot from a barely cracked window sill. your right, soon as they see you they are like smoke.
Tom

[BillieJR]

Welcome SE Wisc hopefull - we probably aren't that far from each other. I'm in the Monroe area.

I don't think you'll ever see the day they give up, like CC Martin said. But keep working at eliminating them and hopefully soon you'll be in control instead of them

Good luck - I hope you get your colony started this season - I'm working on starting mine, too.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Thanks Tom and Billie (fellow cheesehead), great advice. Tom that is an amazing amount of sparrows, I’m blown away (pun intended). I’ve tried the blind idea and then they nest on opposite side. They only build now when I’m at work or very early when asleep. Very little activity when I’m around, mostly they just fly by. So far shot 6 trapped 4. Couple days last week I was out of town, came back to eggs in a couple compartments … thought destroying those would discourage them … but alas almost even more determined now. Strange birds - like they almost hate martins more than they want to build a safe home somewhere else. New strategy today - I’ve taped up holes to see if I can drive them back to trap.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Tom - do you shoot them when they are on the house or gourd? I was but a couple misses have started to damage my house. Also what trap works best for you. I have 3 … 1) the metal st-1 w/ the 2 outside spring traps and center collection. Only caught a couple orioles in that. 2) homemade repeating trap on ground with seed - nothing. 3) homemade cavity repeating trap - caught 5 in that.

[C.C.Martins]

Sir,
I do my best to shoot when they are clear of the house. Took a chance last month and hit one off a porch, pellet hit the underside of the next level. Have not had to shoot near the gourds, its all about the angle I guess.
An awesome pellet Rob suggested is the gammo red fire...very accurate.
The ST1 is a great trap, have you added sparrow nesting material in it? You mentioned you do tear outs so if you place the nesting material in the trap just under the house they chose, they will try to retrieve it. Leave the captive in it, reset the trap.

Iv some PMCA nest box traps that are working great, placed 4 abreast mabe 6 inches apart just under the eves facing the martin houses, catch starlings and sparrows. They are painted white with big 2 inch black spots painted on the side, also put some fake eggs in them...yesterday nabbed a pair of sparrows, the female destroyed the fake eggs while she was in the trap!

My best luck has been the blains repeating trap, there are 6 sparrows in it now, food and water to keep them alive and a nest box attached to give them shelter....have had them almost a month. Maybe move your ground trap around?
I do not give the sparrows a chance....when a sparrow has been attracted by the captives and comes to investigate I shoot it off the trap. Best bait ever is another live sparrow.
Iv a few more nest boxes up with van ert traps, only caught one in the van ert traps.

Iv also a bunch of spare o doors in an old trio house at our satellite site, nabbed one out there.....cannot shoot its a public site.
I am of the opinion you can't have enough traps, never know what they like.

Ok one more PS: if you go with the PMCA traps, glue a metal washer to the inside door to make it a tad bit heavier, had some misses until I did that.
I hope this helps!

[flyin-lowe]

If you are only having infrequent visitors I would close up the housing leaving only 1 or 2 cavities open with traps inside. The sparrows will either go in and get trapped or move on. I have never seen them sit for weeks at a time without going into a cavity. If you see martins visiting open some sites back up.
Sparrows in general have a fairly small home range so you can make a dent in the local population. I too went from getting over 100 a year to between 10-20 per year now. Also it seems the later in the season it goes the less they pressure. I think by now most have found a spot to nest. I see some around my property but I haven't seen one land on my housing in several weeks.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Tom - thanks for the great info. Exciting day today 1) I closed up house and gourds to see if sparrows would move to repeating cavity trap. Got home and caught the male. Clipped his wings and put him as bait in the other center trap. 2) best news of all, after that the young male pm has returned and is hanging out on the gourd rack. Comes and goes … do you stop the Martin songs on speaker in this situation. Nervous nilly here

[C.C.Martins]

Great news! It worked!!!! Those are very good traps. Man good catch.

I'm glad that bird returned sir, id not stop the song just yet. Let him bond to the site.

Hoping here for your success!
Tom

[Martintown33]

SE wisc.. I recommend making a blind. Once HOSPS know you’re after them, you will never get a shot on them, as you know. Make a blind.. you can rip fence pickets into 2 inch strips. Frame out a box big enough to sit in. Sheathe it with large pieces of cardboard.. you can buy big boxes at Home Depot. You will need about 3. Cut them to size, and staple them to the box shaped frame… to basically make a box you can sit in.. I sit on a 5 gallon bucket. Cut a slit in the front to shoot through. The blind is light and you can easily move it where you want. The barrel of your gun, sits on the bottom of the slit, and acts as a stabilizer brace.. It makes shooting sparrows a breeze. All they see is a cardboard box, so they stay put for a while… they never know what hit them. I’ve shot 100s of sparrows this way..
Good luck,
Rob

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Great idea Rob - thanks. Do you set up to shoot across the house porches so if you miss you don’t hit the house? I have a little damage to the house from near misses. If I didn’t hate what they are doing, I would probably admire their amazing tenacity.
Thanks for the advice
Rob (also)

[Martintown33]

Yes, wisc, I shoot mostly from the side… usually wait til they perch in a good spot, like on a perch rod, on top of house or gourd… anywhere they give me a clear shot …. from the side or sometimes I set up at about a 45 degree angle..
Happy hunting,
Rob

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Hey Rob, took your advice and set up a blind with my pick up. Got him this afternoon. He had been fighting it out with the young purple Martin that was hanging around. Saw them fight each other all the way to the ground today, so hope that helps. It will be my new blind method going forward. Thanks for advise!! 12 sparrow so far this year, no record but not bad for a newbie

[C.C.Martins]

Yes! Iv used my truck before, they do not recognize a vehicle as a threat.

Good damn job!!!!

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Thanks Tom - wish I was home more. Seems whenever I kill the sparrow. The PM is happy and hangs around. Then when gone and come back a new sparrow has taken his place and the Pm is gone and the cycle continues

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Trying to be the happy warrior and play the long game with the sparrow population

[C.C.Martins]

Good outlook, and your absolutely right. Iv learned its not a "martin season chore" either. Made that mistake a few years ago, then the next year when the martins arrived i had real problems.
Good news is that you can make a difference in their population, your martins can relax and so can you.

I like to think of it as a bubble of compliance around the martins, we see that example every day....police car on the roadway typically generates that bubble of compliance, people generally don't screw up....thats how I look at the martin houses. I don't let sparrows, starlings or snakes screw it up.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Tom - wondering if being this far north, and/or being in rural setting keeps starling population down. I have my share of sparrows, but have yet to see a starling approach house or gourds.

[C.C.Martins]

Lucky, I don't know.....it might be the setting. Very good thing. Last winter I just stopped shooting them, they just kept coming.
Tom

[Martintown33]

Congrats wisc! I’m glad the blind worked out for you! As you know,, Those HOSPS are smart, persistent, and very sly… but if they can’t see you… they’re easy pickings!! Congrats on your success..
Happy hunting!
Rob