Ray.....does this not prolong the birds fear, pain & suffering. Isint a quick wack a far more humane way? I prefer shooting them....No fear, no pain, no suffering. I can not always shoot them so trapping and wacking has been my only other option. 5 minutes sounds awfull.

Lisa,

If you have a flat surface like a concrete driveway or a road near by you can deal with it in seconds.

Just give it all your might and it will be over with no blood shed and no pain. Most humane way I've thought of.

I learned the hard way...a tree isn't a quick and effective way.

I used to wack them on hard surface but would not want to be caught by someone
in the act in todays world it would make the newspaper. They cause a enough
suffering to bluebirds. How ever they go down it dont matter to me.
Mount a box six feet high they will be drawn to that box on barn or Home
use that as trap and mount bluebirds and swallow box's as far possible away and
low four feet. I have nest units mounted on a horse barn two once they have a
nest i set van ert traps simple and bluebirds are SAFE. I set nest trap and remove them wkly and the HOSP are right were they want to be next to people. Trap a pair a week in a good season and no harm to native birds.
Ray

Oh my goodness. What a gruesome topic! :o) I drown mine. It's just psychologically easier on me to let the water take them. I have also used ether, but the drowning is just easier on me.~~Angie

I use Van Ert traps. When they have been tripped, I pull a large plastic bag (like several bounty paper towels come in,)over the entire box, then carefully open the box while sealing the opening of the bag at the bottom so he can't fly out. The HOSP flies into the bag & I grab him from outside the bag and hold him there while I remove the bag. I then roll up the bag tightly. Expires in 30-45 seconds. No touching, no mess. If I ever feel any guilt, I merely look at the photo in my car I took of 6 dead baby bluebirds in their box with holes pecked in their heads by a male HOSP. Then I look for the next box to insert my Van Ert.

Such sad work. Thank you for trying to be humane and lessen fear and pain for living things.

Drowning is a terrible way to kill something something.

elly, ANY way is a terrible way to kill something.

But we're losing the point here. Sure killing HOSP isn't always easy but they're the equivalent of a rat. The only reason people feel no contempt killing things is if it's ugly or weird - otherwise you get the excuse "It looks so cute and harmless!"

HOSP were not meant to be here. Our arrogant ancestors thought it would be a good idea to bring over a bird they knew nothing about other than the European immigrants were raised around these aggressive birds. (Which is where they are NATIVE)

Point being, humans caused the problem, so it's our job as landlords of the natives to protect them and HUMANELY take out the deviant winged rats. And I know it may be easy on you Angie, but drowning is NOT humane. It takes some time for an organism's body to fill with water and suffocate it.

Giving a hard wack against something strong is different. It's the same thing as a human jumping out of an airplane and landing on solid ground. As cruel as it is, it's usually instant death. Which means minimal suffering. I know I might enrage some but this is how I see it and as much as this is only my 5th season, I'm very knowledgeable.

I get what you are saying Tim. I really do. I very much respect your opinions, and I do realize how knowledgable you are. It is a great and selfless service you are doing for the birds, and I admire you very much. My point is that if I have to do it, and I know that I do, then I have to do it in a way that I can manage psychologically. There is not anyone else here to do it for me. If I lived near to you, I would very happily bring them to you for disposal. I am absolutely not a vicious, mean, or malicious person. I can assure you of that. Now, that being said, let's try to focus on being supportive of one another and respecting each others' thoughts and opinions. Sometimes in life, it's not an simply issue of "right" or "wrong," but instead the issue is "different." Arguing only accomplishes hurt feelings and divison. We don't want that.

No. Drowning is cruel. Pain is cruel. Fear is cruel.

Euthanasia should be quick and painless. Not just easy for the person doing the euthanasia. You compromise all your values when you choose to kill with fear and pain.

It is a sad thing, and I admire landlords who have carefully and humanely kept this species going for bird lovers like me. I had to euthanize birds in my "other life" in avian rehabilitation, and it was a difficult thing whenever the choice was made. However if anyone ever found it easy to do, or did it cruelly, they would clearly be in the wrong "business."

Drowning is cruel.

I do not think I could drown them, nor can I wack them on the cement hard (tried it but I just couldn't do it hard enough and it was awful), nor could I squeeze the life out of them with my own hands. Ugh, I either shoot them or set something very heavy on top of them in the garage. The second is my normal way to dispatch HOSP caught in the van erts, it is very quick. That being said, we had snow last week which brought a flock of HOSP to the yard. So far I got one in the van ert (male) and six with the BB gun (five males and one female). At least I feel like I am helping out our native cavity nesting birds by taking out these HOSP.

Would beheading the thing with a sturdy pair of garden shears work? I won't be able to compress a bird's chest for five minutes at a time--I don't even have time for all the chores! Catch ten birds and that's an hour including all the handling!

I'm totally new to the war with European house sparrows. I feed bird homemade suet and nyger seed. I used to enjoy the sparrows, but lately they've been overwhelming the feeders and trying to drive away the woodpeckers. Plus, they totally clean out my suet log in less than 48 hours, sometimes 24.

The stories I read tonight about HOSPs murdering native bluebirds were appalling. I ordered two repeat-use traps and am prepared to go into operation as soon as they arrive.

I just wonder how I'll explain to my elderly father what the trap is for. I hope when I explain the whole story he'll be supportive--he's a bit softhearted about animals.

I for one will kill a HOSP in any manner necessary. When you witness an attack on the BB it is terrible. I respect other peoples thoughts about being humane and I dispatch the ones I catch very quickly it and it takes about 2 seconds to do.