I couldn't do it. I'm dealing with chipmunks and I have a neighbor that kills the ones that come into his yard, but I cannot do it. Used a have-a-heart trap and caught one, but when I went inside to tell my hubby, somehow the critter squeezed himself out (the chipmunk - not the hubby)! :o) I'm encouraging and understand to you, as I would be very upset too.

I would not kill them. They are still God's creatures. Let them fledge and sparrow-proof your boxes afterward with monofilament and spookers. Others will say to kill them, but I would not.

Lisa I vote to kill everything. They will grow up to be killers. Easier said than done 'cause I haven't disposed of babies yet. I've frozen the eggs and then put them back in the nest and she sat on the them even tho they had cracked but it kept the hosp pair occupied. Goes to show how tuff those hosp are to live thru shaken eggs. One thought about disposing of babies: my local nature center told me if I find hit by car turtles that can't be repaired they can be euthanized by first putting them in the fridge then later to the freezer that way it simulates hibernation and they are humanely dead. I'm sorry about being gross but would that be an easier way to dispose of babies? Just wondering.

Do you have van ert in box traps? I would have done this when the nest was first built, put it in and catch most likely the male and the female with an active nest and they yes I would dispose of the nest and its contents. You could just take the nest out, put it in a bag and then set something very heavy on top of them. If you let these go they will go on to kill more TRES and Blues and Dees etc.
Good luck...I know it isn't easy.

Donna

Donna , they are in a Martin box so the Van Ert wont work. I have done some math, my Blues are 11 days old, my TRES should be on their last egg or will be just starting incubation today. I do not know how old the HOSP babies are but from the sound they are about 3 days. Blues should be gone by next Thursday, TRESS will not have hatched yet. I am considering letting the HOSP go until my Blues are gone. I looked for a nesting time table for HOSPs but can not find one. They would be no older than 13 days by the time the Blues are gone. I think this would be the safest option.
Lady Jemima....have you looked at the proliferation table on the sialis .org site? 5 years ago there were no HOSPs out here, now we have many. I will NOT have this pristine forest land overun with them and put all of our cavity nesters in danger. Yes they are Gods creatures but God did not put them HERE! Man did and our NATIVE birds are paying the price. I HATE killing anything but it must be done.

Yes, I've seen the statistics. Actually yesterday I just told someone the same thing about how they were not native to the country. I am aware how badly they are affecting the ecosystem but I personally could not kill a living animal. HOSP are a very touchy subject!

Oh too bad about that Lisa, I didn't realize where they were nesting. I thought though that there were traps made for Martin houses...I could be wrong though. I don't have a martin house at all.

Your idea is probably the best being you cannot trap them in there.

Donna

Lady Jemima, I understand. It's a very personal choice. When I first started Bluebirding I could not have done it. Lucky back then we didn't have any around. After hearing all the horror stories year in and year out and becoming completely in love with the Blues I vowed I would do what I had to if they became a problem. They started showing up about 4 years ago, just a few. I have taken out the ones I could get, last year 2 males, but 2 other males (that I knew of) escaped and nested elsewhere. I knew I was going to have trouble this year. I was sick to see there are dozens of them nesting in the rafters of an old building down by the lake. I am truly fearful for the long established Martin & TRES colonies around the lake. The Martins & TRES come so far to nest in what was once a safe habitat just to be killed, so sad. I don't mean I just dis like doing this...it comes with shaking crying and throwing up, there is not one ounce of pleasure in it at all but I have to do what I can to preserve our Native species.I certainly respect your choice.

ok, this is my opinion...while I respect others opinion. I would take out the baby sparrows...I know it's an awful thing to do and I will admit, I cry when I kill an adult sparrow....BUT, I will never forget my poor decapitated TRES. still sitting on her eggs while the hosp. built his nest on top of her. Yesterday my male blue was sitting on his usual perch hunting bugs and a male hosp. attacked him. The blue took him down and the hosp. flew off. I won't have the hosp. around as long as I put up bird boxes, offer nesting sites for the blues and tres. only to have them killed by hosp. You can call me Lisa if you want to, but they need to go.

Karen

I agree with Karen, it's like you kind of can't think about it or you won't be able to do it. Or just think about maimed babies and parents and then take them out. When I have that hosp in my hand (and I'm sorry but they have cute faces up close, to me) i have to sort of turn into a hosp killing robot. When the time comes I will have to dispose of babies, I thought maybe hypothermia is a painless way to die (except you freeze your ass off)but I'm probably wrong. The adults get a quick blow to the head. I also respect others opinions but if you can't dispose of them please don't let them breed.
Sue

I totally understand how you feel. Up until last Friday, I could not have hurt a HOSP. However today I would rather wring their neck as look at them.
Three weeks ago we had a hatch of 5 baby bluebirds. We watched them everyday growing like litttle weeds into fully feathered beauties.
My husband get telling me the HOSPs would end up killing our babies. He wanted to get a trap, but I stubborningly refused.. A decision I would live to regret. That day was a week ago today when we saw a male HOSP on their house.
We found bluebird feathers on the ground. When we opened the box the babies were baldheaded and bleeding. their eyes and beaks had been pecked as well as there wings . My husband handed me the first baby who died in my hand. As I stood there watching my husband pulled 2 more out that were dead. As we walked away the HOSP headed for the house again to finish them off. I took the nest out, asked my husband to get me a spare house bringing it in our house to keep that monster away. I held those little guys and cried my heart out. They died sometime after 1 am when I fell asleep.
We ordered a Sparrow trap that night. In 2 days we have caught over a dozen sparrows. I have been responsible for doing away with over half of them and I am not done yet.
I guess it takes seeing what I saw to get to where I am.

tmjoseph...I am so sorry you had to see that! How horrible! I have never lost a blue to HOSP (knock on wood) but have lost adult TRES to them. I am glad you have caught so many, you will make your yard much safer for the Blues. A sparrow spooker could have saved your babies too. Check out the sparrow spooker page on sialis.org website to see how to make and put one up. They are put up after the first egg is laid and taken down once the nestlings fledge. I always put them on my Blues boxes in my yard. Have you seen the adult bluebirds around at all? If you have other boxes they may try to renest with you as generally they will renest after a failed nesting but not typically in the same box that they had a loss in. Good luck!

Donna

I have sent a message to Bet. I will let you all know what she suggests. (for those of you that don't know) Bet is the author of the Sialis .org web site.

I know how you feel and you second guess every decision you make.I look at it this way If you would have asked me 2 weeks ago I would not have been not able too dispose of the babies no way! But after opening my nest boxes a week ago and finding dead parents that tried so hard too protect their eggs from hosp heartwrenching. I would only dispose of them if you didn't have anybody else nesting And the only reason I would let them be is because you don"t want to turn a couple dead baby hosp into dead blues and tres. that will send them on a rampage if I were you put up the spooker and let it go don"t put your other nests at risk. start trapping those suckers!

Donna, thanks.. I am still upset over our baby Blues.
We have a new momma Bluebird, they have started nesting in another box. A friend contacted us about the spookers after the babies got attacked. So far they are working even though ours is not as elaborate as the ones shown.
Also I highly recommend the sparrow trapping box we bought from sparrowtraps.net by Blaine Johnson. That was the best $70. I ever spent! Mark n Teresa

So glad to hear you got a spooker teresa! Glad to hear they are building again too! I hope this nesting is successful for you!

I use vanert in box traps and my bb gun for HOSP that come in my yard or show interest in boxes in my yard or my small trail. Would love to get a DRST for when the fledgling HOSP come over to my yard from the car dealership next door, that is where they mostly nest around here. I keep pecking away at them though every time I see them.

Donna

I made a choice long ago between dead HOSP and dead Bluebirds. I have not mourned over one single dead HOSP. It is not a matter of IF the HOSP will kill the bluebirds, but WHEN. By the way, my Martin House has 2 traps for HOSP - it's the best sparrow trap I have. Linda

The babies are starting to peek today, but not big. I was hoping they would be gone tomorrow but looks more like Thursday. I am at risk of having HOSPs & Blues fledge at the same time. My next concern is the TRES. I believe I am going to do the unthinkable and allow this batch of HOSPs to fledge. I have thought about it long and hard. I plan to start feeding the HOSPs near my ground trap and will find an in box trap for the Martin house. Hopefully I will be able to dispose of them before the Blues renest. I am also going to re work the Martin house so that there are only openings on one side (the side I can shoot the 22 at). I am so sorry for allowing new HOSPs into the world but my Blues and TRES are more important. SO lesson learned SHAKING EGGS DOES NOT WORK!!!!

I have seen what HS can do to blues both adults and nestlings. I would not remove the HS hatchlings without getting the male first. I've removed HS hatchlings and the HS went on a rampage killing blues and tree swallows.