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Ok....now I am having problems with sparrows!!

13 years ago

Ok...after having all the problems with the blues wanting the dees out of their house, and buying the new one. The blues have their nest made and all ready for the eggs. So today my problem is with the sparrows. They are looking for somewhere to nest. They have been checking out the nest box that the blues have their nest in. I did't have the spooker up cause there wasn't an egg yet. The blues were fighting with them all day. I decided to go ahead and put a spooker up on the new box. I no that I am not suppose to do this until the first egg is laid. I decided to just go ahead to keep the sparrows out. So far by doing this the sparrows have left. Now the blues keep looking at the box like what has happened. Do you guys think that they will get use to the spooker being up there? I don't want to scare them away after all I did to keep them here. Any advice would be great.

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

kendra2003
13 years ago
I would put up a second box for the HOSP. It doesn't have to be anything fancy (no baffles or anything since you'll be using it as a trap house). Set it up with the screws in place for a Van Ert trap. Let them get used to it and start building. Once they are attached to the box, put the Van Ert in and trap them. I know you're not supposed to put up the spooker until the first egg is laid, but in my humble opinion, I think you did the right thing under the circumstance. It is better than having them fight in the box and having a Bluebird killed. When the HOSP come back, if you have a spare box up, they will choose the box without the sparrow spooker (your trap box). Just plug up the hole in the trap box when you're not using it so no native birds try to nest there. I hope your Blues are already attached enough to their box that they won't abandon it.
ohsoblue77
13 years ago
I agree with the spooker thing. Those HOSP are so persistent they get what they want most of the time.

The blues should be in peace now. I use the Van Ert and blaine Johnson's spooker and have put up a WAR against HOSP. Which unfortunately has brought in mobs of TRES who wouldn't be there if it wasn't for me killing the HOSP. That's the problem I'm having. We have enough of them here in ohio! Bluebirds and Purple Martins are outnumbered by TRES and HOSP. Although blues are doing great population wise state wide...I'm getting more and more problems with TRES. No answer though as to why there are so many of them.
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Indigo, leave the house open for now so that the bluebirds do not get trapped inside and suffer the same fate as their eggs. They are probably just trying to figure out what happened to their potential family. You need to get a trap as soon as possible and take care of that house sparrow. It is the nature of male house sparrows to bond to a nestbox and once they have they will not leave!!! If something happens to their mate they will simply sit on top of the nestbox and cheep-cheep until they call another female house sparrow. You must trap the male in order for this nestbox to become safe for future bluebirds. I use two other versions of traps besides the Van Ert. I use a Huber trap, which I purchased at my local wild bird store, and I also use a Peterson trap which was made for me by a friend. Both work well, though are not as convenient to install as the Van Ert. Please keep us updated on what is happening. Kathy
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dzyg
13 years ago
I don't think the Blues will abandon the box because of the spooker. I think you did the right thing. Not sure I would put up another box to lure the HOSP to though, if they aren't bothering the box with the spooker or the box with the Dees, they should leave to find a nesting site somewhere else.

However a van ert inbox trap is something you should always have at least one of for those nasty HOSP.

Good luck!
Donna
nikonhead
12 years ago
For what its worth I put up some yellow string on the box itself with a trap of sort. I had a door I built that I could pull a release pin and the door would slide up and cover the hole. The HOSP didn't like it at all and they stayed away from it. The blues moved in right away and I live in a subdivision tha thas plent of crap birds. After the first egg was down I put up the spooker which is homemade and I incorporated the yellow string in my own design which is just a copy of what I have seen online. I hope this may help you.

Good luck

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