sparrows

Dave in Tx · Mar 31, 2013

Anyone know how to get rid of them. They are aggravating the devil out of the Purple Martins. I'm fixin to take down the martin houses if I can't get rid of the sparrows. Thanks.

JerryS · Mar 31, 2013

To my knowledge, martins eat only bugs. Sparrows eat just about anything. Can you spot the opportunity in that?

Anonymous-0 · Mar 31, 2013

I don't have any purple martins around my place, but I have blue birds and tree swallows which I like both. I build sparrow proof blue bird houses. They work fine to keep the sparrows out. The blue birds and the swallows will fight each other for the houses. The sparrow proof part is the entrance hole. The ones I build are a flat roof and the hole is next to the roof. It's 1 1/8'' by the full width of the house which is 4' wide. The theory behind it is the sparrow has nothing to land on before entering and will not use them. It works for me.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 31, 2013

Texasmark1 · Apr 1, 2013

The rule around here is to block off the entrances to the houses till you see the first Martins. Then open up for business. The Martins will deal with the sparrows.

Course the sparrows aren't protected by the 1917 Federal bird protection legislation.

In the last few years we have started getting New England Bluebirds down here. I was told how to build houses to suit them and did. I have had returning families, of increased quantity for some time now. They are beautiful and I love to watch them live their lives.

Mark

641Dave · Apr 1, 2013

I was told to watch and identify the holes the martins are using in the martin house and simple keep removing the nest of the sparrows and finches. Supposedly they'll eventually get discouraged and leave the house alone...until the next one tries of course.

From what I've gathered if you're careful the martins don't mind a little home maintenance while there visiting us.

I was able to relocate a bluebird nest with eggs last year from our martin house and put it in our first actual bluebird house. Our bluebirds took to it and are using it again this year. We've added two more bluebird house this year but no takers yet on the new ones.

In reading on the purple martin forum some folks will shoot the sparrows and finches that try to nest in their martin houses. We haven't seen the need for that yet but we only just got our martins back the week before and a new couple showed up this weekend.

641Dave · Apr 1, 2013

Dave you might want to take a look here.

http://shop.purplemartin.org/

http://shop.purplemartin.org/PMCA_Repeating_Bait_Trap-details.aspx

http://shop.purplemartin.org/Songbird_Essentials_Wire_Sparrow_Trap-details.aspx

sparrows

Dave in Tx

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JerryS

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Texasmark1

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641Dave

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641Dave

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