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bean_counter_z4

House sparrow problem

bean_counter_z4
14 years ago

I have several bird boxes around the farm. All but one have metal 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 hole reducers attached for small birds. Three are in use by chickadees, the one with the 1 1/2 hole is in use by house sparrows. My question. Do you think I should allow the sparrows to continue nesting but prevent the eggs from hatching. I tried oiling the eggs but the birds threw them out and laid more. I'm not positive shaking the eggs will prevent them from hatching? What is best a. close the nest, b. keep dumping out the contents or c. preventing the eggs from hatching? There are several large barns on the property so it will never be free of house sparrows. It would seem keeping the sparrows occupied with an unproductive nest would be good because they wouldn't go somewhere else and a. evict a resident or b. start a new nest I couldn't reach. What are your opinions?

Marnie

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