$@#// House Sparrows

[Lily'sDad]

Since filling the bird feeder this fall, I have had swarms of House (English) Sparrows. They are boisterous and drive away the desirable, song birds. I searched online and found a reference to the "Magic Halo". This is a contraption that has lengths of monofilament hanging down on each side of the feeder. I tried fabbing up my own version. It works!!! As soon as I put it up, they sat in the bushes and stared at it. For a day or so, they would still eat on the ground, but now they are gone. The best part, the other birds, the juncos and house finches and the chickadees aren't bothered at all. If you want to make your own, the important part is the monofilament and something to hold it up there. Magic Halo For Bird Feeders

 

[KennyP]

Pretty neat contraption! We get flocks of black birds down here. And I think I have more squirrels than birds! But I don't have a feeder out except for the hummers during the warmer months.

 

[Cvans]

Looks like a neat deterrent. We have a lot of wind up here and that would be a concern. My Sparrow eradicator. Just used it this morning to eliminate two more English house sparrows. It's kind of fun also.
.177 cal.

 

[Lily'sDad]

I tried the pellet gun first, but the birds were so spooky I only got 1 shot. Sparrows can reproduce faster than I can kill them.

 

[Shorty]

If I could find something to scare them off my porch, it would be great. Got year rounders behind my shutters. Was going to take the shutters off, but the install guy did a scrappy job. And it looked hideous without them.

 

[poncho62]

Barn swallows here.......greedy bastids

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

My problem here is european collared doves. I made a round cage open at top and bottom so the little birds can get on the feeder but space is too tight for the doves so they have to be content to eat what falls on the ground.
Mike

 

[Lily'sDad]

Barn swallows here.......greedy bastids

What do they eat besides bugs on the wing?

My problem here is european collared doves.
Mike

All because some fools thought turning doves loose at their wedding was romantic.

 

[Toomanytoys84]

We had some kind of sparrow at the camp. We finally gave up and let them stay. We could not kill them fast enough. Tried internet suggestions to chase them away. Tried a fake owl. They built a nest on it....

 

[Lily'sDad]

We had some kind of sparrow at the camp. We finally gave up and let them stay. We could not kill them fast enough. Tried internet suggestions to chase them away. Tried a fake owl. They built a nest on it....

I remember when I was in highschool, the FFA was paying kids 10¢ for every pigeon or some critter they brought in. Give a kid a BB gun and a pair of goggles and a cash incentive.

 

[Cvans]

What do they eat besides bugs on the wing?

That's what I was wondering. Other than p00ping on everything under their nest I thought they were a beneficial bird.

 

[chieffan]

Looks like a neat deterrent. We have a lot of wind up here and that would be a concern. My Sparrow eradicator. Just used it this morning to eliminate two more English house sparrows. It's kind of fun also.
.177 cal.
View attachment 9508

Problem with that method it take all your time away from other things. When your not there, they are eating.

 

[chieffan]

Barn swallows here.......greedy bastids

Barn Swallows do not eat at feeders. They eat flying insects, or catch them off roofs or building sides.

 

[chieffan]

That's what I was wondering. Other than p00ping on everything under their nest I thought they were a beneficial bird.

Your right - VERY beneficial birds. Love to see them around. Last year we had 5 nests on the side of the house. Wouldn't let them build over a door so they stayed on the corner of the shutters. When they leave the siding gets washed off and ready for next year.

 

[oldedeeres]

Sadly, barn swallows are almost a thing of the past here. I leave a back window open in the shop so they can come in and nest. A big piece of cardboard on the floor under the nests makes cleanup easy.

 

[chieffan]

We have 5 other out buildings the Swallows use. After they have hatched out of couple of batches and they line up on the power lines makes for quit a line of swallows. Like the way the will talk to you once they get used to your voice.

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

We have three birdhouses for swallows to nest in and usually 2 are occupied by them. Amazes me how, when the chicks hatch, the parents are flying from can see to can't see feeding them!!
Mike

 

[chieffan]

Barn Swallows don't use bird houses. What you have are probably Cliff Swallows or Tree Swallows. We had a pair of Cliff Swallows use a bird house right off our deck one year.

 

[Lily'sDad]

We had some kind of sparrow at the camp. We finally gave up and let them stay.

There are many kinds of native sparrows that are highly desirable song birds. The only one you need to kill are the imported English sparrows.

Barn Swallows don't use bird houses.

There are bird houses for swallows. They are open on the front and sides, like a shelf, so that the swallows can build a nest like normal.

 

[Sawdust]

I remember when I was in highschool, the FFA was paying kids 10¢ for every pigeon or some critter they brought in. Give a kid a BB gun and a pair of goggles and a cash incentive.

Dont shoot your eye out