Hi Staci We too struggle with the aggressive house sparrows. Three Summers ago, I had a pair of House Sparrows raise and successfully fledge their nest in my barn. Since they do not do any more care for their young after fledging, they they turned their attention on my Barn Swallows (I’ve worked hard to make my barn a safe and happy home for them) and eventually killed all of their young.
Allison is a local wild bird care expert in Wayland and was SUPER helpful in helping us supporting the baby birds. I imagine she can help you with midwifery. I will send you her phone number privately. Have you tried removing the sparrow nests from the blue bird boxes? It’s the standard strategy that I know. Last Summer, we repeatedly removed the sparrow nests from my barn eves, and they eventually gave up and moved elsewhere. This Winter, they were frequently in my barn. This Summer we have decided to be more assertive and have bought a sparrow trap. You are welcome to borrow it. Best, Stephanie Smart & Allen Vander Meulen > On Apr 15, 2023, at 9:51 AM, Staci Montori <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi LT, > > Sadly, an aggressive house sparrow (HOSP) took up residence in our bluebird > nesting boxes and destroyed the eggs in the recent nest and drove the nesting > pair away. > > For the last 5 years, I have had great success (3 broods every season) with > my non-violent HOSP deterrent methods—Sparrow Spooker and fishing filament. I > am pretty devastated it didn't work this year and wonder what I should do > now. One, with the nesting HOSP. And two, how to proceed for the rest of the > spring to try to entice the bluebirds back to a safe nesting area. > > I am considering changing the boxes out to ones that are more sparrow proof. > If anyone has had a similar issue and has had good success with certain boxes > & preferably with deterrent methods vs. extermination, please advise. (I am > interested in hearing all methods, though as I don't want to take the boxes > down, nor do I want to help increase the invasive HOSP population.) > > Thank you, > Staci > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > -- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to [email protected]. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
