skip to main content

Sparrows nesting close to Bluebirds

15 years ago

I have two bluebird houses which are 130 feet apart. Bluebirds are nesting with 5 eggs in one box and sparrows have taken the other. My strategy is to let the sparrows nest but not let their eggs hatch. My concern is that if I evict the sparrows, they will kill and take the blues' house. Am I right or should I not even allow them to nest nearby? Thanks.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

dzyg
15 years ago
First you need to get a sparrow spooker on top of your Bluebird house asap! Link below...

Second you should order a vanert inbox trap and trap and dispose of the adult HOSP (House Sparrows), you should be able to capture both with an active nesting, catch one, reset trap and hopefully catch the other. Here is the link to his site....http://vanerttraps.com/

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: Sparrow spooker
kendra2003
15 years ago
While letting them nest without allowing their eggs to hatch is better than allowing their eggs to hatch, it is still not a good solution. Remember they will quickly figure out if they are wasting time sitting on dud eggs and will just re-lay. You are correct that just evicting them could cause more trouble for the Bluebirds. As Donna said, please get a sparrow spooker up on the Bluebird box, and get yourself a Van Ert in-box trap asap. Eliminating the HOSP is really the only way to go, as they are extremely prolific.
Related Discussions
Sparrows Nesting in BlueBird Box
Q
Comments (6)
Thanks, Karen, for the excellent site. Wow! I had no idea that sparrows were so predatory! For now, we put a piece of duct tape over the hole. I noticed the sparrows hanging around and on top of it. Hopefully, they will go elsewhere. Is it actually possible to drive them from the property permanently? I'm wondering if the nesting box is even a good place for bluebirds. It's close to our house - will that deter them? There are shrubs around it which may attract the sparrows. I have a lot to learn about bluebirds and the SIALIS site is a good place to start.
...See More
English sparrows and bluebirds
Q
Comments (2)
You may want to let them start up their nest in that spare box and then use a Van Ert trap. They will not leave on their own and could kill the bluebirds in their box. I cover the orange dot on the Van Ert with a leaf as the orange seems to make them suspicious. I've found that you can't wait until their nest is complete as it fills up the whole box, leaving no room for the trap. You have to monitor it carefully, and make sure what you've caught is indeed an English House Sparrow before disposing it.
...See More
Bluebird nest
Q
Comments (0)
I accidentally removed the nest thinking it was a sparrows. The blue birds are on the fence next to the box each day. Can I safely put it back w/gloves since it's intact on the clean pasture grass?
...See More
Bluebirds and House Sparrow checking out the same nest box
Q
Comments (11)
Congrats on eggs! Would definitely put up a sparrow spooker now. It's the best known way to keep HOSP from invading. You can make one because it takes about a week to order through mail. The fishing line can stay on all season, but the spooker only needs to stay up from 1st egg to fledge. Sialis site is the best resource. Has helped me many times! Like vamanos mentioned above, the only sure way to avoid HOSP invasion is to trap them. You can get a van Ert trap put into the box the HOSP are interested in & trap them one by one. The DRTS is an even more serious way to trap. Again, Sialis outlines all of this. Biggest piece of advise: don't let HOSP nest with you or you'll never get rid of them. As you probably know, they are not native & have caused many problems with our native birds (i.e.- EABL, CACH, etc). By law you are able to trap them/dispose of them & remove their nests, eggs, & young. I know it sounds harsh, but it's a personal choice. Best f luck! Nicole
...See More

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Bring the Joy of Bluebirds to Your Garden

By Habitat Network

Attract these beautiful songbirds with nesting habitat and food sources, including berry-producing trees and shrubs

GARDENING FOR BIRDS What to Know About Birds Nesting in Your Yard

By Mitchell Parker

Learn how to observe, record data and help ornithologists with NestWatch’s citizen science project understand bird trends

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Bring on the Birds: Natural Habitat Ideas for Gardens of All Sizes

Provide nesting, watering and perching spots inspired by the Costa Rican jungle and watch the birds flock on over

FALL GARDENING 7 Reasons Not to Clean Up Your Fall Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you pluck and rake, consider wildlife, the health of your plants and your own right to relax

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: Those Nutty Nuthatches

By Habitat Network

The North American songbirds, which often perch upside down, make themselves known in the winter landscape

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life

By Mary Jo Bowling

How Sharon Sorenson created a wildlife haven and became the Bird Lady of Southern Indiana

GARDENING GUIDES 13 North American Backyard Birds to Know

By Annie Thornton

Find out about these enchanting native species and learn how to attract them to your yard

DECORATING GUIDES On Trend: Feather Decor Makes Rooms Soar

By Mari Richards

Bring lightness and a breath of nature to your walls and home decor with feather art, accessories and wall treatments

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Be a Citizen Scientist to Help Wildlife, Learn and Have Fun Too

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Track butterflies, study birds, capture stars ... when you aid monitoring efforts, you’re lending Mother Nature a hand

Sponsored

NME Builders LLC

2 Reviews

Remodeling Company in New Albany, Ohio