May I have an ID please?

15 years ago

What this bird and his mate did to my Tufted Titmice nest and eggs does not earn any brownie points with me and makes me feel sick to my stomach. Is this the dreaded HOSP?

Thanks in advance.

Pam

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Comments (9)

alan_la
15 years ago
Sorry Pam, It is.
PKponder TX Z7B
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, I'm glad then that I chose to cover the opening to prevent them nesting there. Thanks Alan.

Pam
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blueheron
15 years ago
What's HOSP?
donald lucius
15 years ago
hosp is just an abrevation of house sparrow. they are an import years ago from europe and are very aggesive and invasive. in that they raid other birds nests and destroy eggs and sometin=mes even kill the mothers and often take over their nests. most people that see them around either destroy their nests till they leave or block off the birdhouses to make them leave. some people even set traps to catch and get rid of them
dzyg
15 years ago
If you leave that nestbox where it is mounted now you will have more problems than just that HOSP. Cats, squirrels and raccoon will make easy lunch out of anything in that box since it is conveinently (for the predators) mounted on a wooden fence. Nestboxes should be mounted on slick metal poles (conduit) at least 10-15 feet away from fences or trees.

Donna
bob17257
15 years ago
Pam - You should REMOVE the perch from the bird house. Cavity nesters do not need a perch. The perch makes it easier for the House Sparrow to reach the nest.

You should also check the size of the entrance hole. A 1 1/4 inch hole is a good size for the Titmouse, but it is too small for most House Sparrows. If the hole is too large, you can add a hole reducer to the box.

Bob
dzyg
15 years ago
Pam, a House Sparrow will enter nestboxes with or without perches but Bob is right, birds do not need perches. A House Sparrow also can and will enter a 1 1/4 hole, I have had them do it here. However as stated before you need to REMOVE the box from the fence. Good luck.

Donna
PKponder TX Z7B
Original Author
15 years ago
Good to know! It is a decorative box painted by a friend and I hung it there for deco...I was totally surprised to find that the titmice liked it enough to nest there (it still smells of the sealer!). I'll remove the perch and mount it on a pole. Hubby was asking about the hole reducer so the size information is very timely!

Thank you all for your feedback!

Pam
calliope
15 years ago
Yes, and another warning. I thought it would be cute one year to make wren houses out of decorative gourds. I hung them high and in inconspicuous places. I didn't have a problem with other birds raiding the nests, but within a few days of each other, racoons had climbed the trees, done whatever kind of gymnastics they do to pull up the wires the gourds were suspended on, and ripped open the gourds and ate the young. Disgusting. So, make your houses sturdy, the holes small and mounted them strongly.