Good luck with the HOSP's. I have taken 15 so far this year. I was using an elevator trap past years, works great but catches everything from chipmunks to native birds. It is invaluable to catch juvenile HOSP's however. I've now switched to a Crosman .177 pellet gun. It works and surprisingly, the HOSP's must know they are the target. I hardly get them anymore. I get every other native bird at my feeders, but HOSP's which pollute our neighborhood rarely land in our yard. They fly in and around, but I haven't taken a bird since February this year.

Lisa, because the males get mates so quickly, I doubt your shooting will cause him to retaliate. Here's an interesting note about the Van Ert: If you catch the FEMALE in an active HOSP nest, try leaving her body in the box afterwards. May sound cruel, but I did this at my 2nd box site, and I caught the Male within 30 seconds of setting and leaving the trap! I walked away and a few seconds later..."SNAP!" ..."Did that seriously just happen??" The only way I caught HOSP in the ground trap (DRST) was by putting a couple live males in first that I caught with the Van Ert. It was sitting out for WEEKS not catching anything before this. I know how impatient it can make you! Keep up with the Sparrow Spookers! I have used them 2-3 seasons now and not had even ONE HOSP attack occur when used. Just remember the time frame to have it up in. With the 3 big control items: Van Ert, DRST, and Sparrow Spooker, I believe this is the best way to bring the population down. I wish they couldn't nest in evergreens! I tear out and destroy eggs and nestings from these year in and year out. It gets exhausting. ~Tim~

Thanks again Kendra, Sue, etc. I REALLY want to put the DRST back out but I'm worried there won't be a good enough place where it'll be hidden, and not attract predators like Hawks and Raccoons which could get my bluebirds. I heard HOSP nestlings on this woman's property. They nest in her pine trees. I have 3 properties under control from HOSP. This is the ONE area they are coming from. Her husband suggested if I do it, to do it away from them. Oh the irony!! That's where the HOSP are coming from to begin with! Guess you can't win em all. Luckily they sold the alpacas they had...one time before they said there were birds in there, sparrows, but they didn't stop them I don't believe. So they were probably multiplying more back then. The barns they were in have been closed since last fall. Previously there were HOSP and Starlings in them. So, really, how vulnerable are juvenile HOSP to the DRST?! Does anyone think I'd have a good chance of trapping them after fledging? Unfortunately I can't rip their nests from the trees like I do with the other neighbor's. The 3 plots are the one I rent, the landlords' where my bluebirds are, and the 3rd is where the martin housing is. adjacent is her property. Confusing, I know. Try to be vigilant with this youngster ^^

Tim, I am so sorry this has happened. This is the third incidence this season that I have heard of a HOSP going in a nestbox with a spooker attached. I have no clue what the other spookers look liked but what does yours look like? Does it have the dowels that come over the roof of the box with streamers hanging down touching the roof of the nestbox all the way from the back to the front of the nestbox? Do you have two dowels coming out over it or just one? That is the only thing I can think of is that the spooker wasn't as scary as it should be. However....HOSP seem to be really bad this year all over the US. I am having way more of them interested in nestboxes than usual this year and so are many others. I am worried about a pair of TRES right now that haven't started laying eggs yet. A HOSP pair is hanging around them...this is at a park where I have a small trail. I have trapped five down there this Spring already.