David, I do not, KNOCK WOOD, have them in my yard but since I host bluebirds, chickadees and nuthatches in my nest boxes, I would trap and dispose if they showed up here. I would dread, dread, dread doing that but I figure it's either that or take down the nest boxes. I do like the idea of donating them to a wildlife rehab (raptor) center. I'm afraid that is probably easier said than done. I'm located in a huge metro area and not sure I could find one here but that idea does appeal to me most.

Sorry to say some raptor centers (mine included) wont take them. I have heard that if they do they have to be frozen...that still leaves you to do the hard part. Relocating them just makes them someone elses problem. Now if you lived near a big city, like Chicago I don't think anybody would notice a few more HOSPs. I have also heard they will come right back and may bring a few friends. Sorry for your invasion!

David,
I understand anyone's dilemma of choosing their method for controlling hosp. My decision for how I would deal with hosp was actually made easier by the hosp themselves. I will never forget the image of 6 BB babies, dead, on the ground under their nestbox in my front yard (the event that plunged me into this wonderful world of bluebirding). Add to that the many horror stories and graphic pics that I have since heard/seen while visiting sites such as this, and the observations of their increase in population and moving into what previously was "hosp-free territory".
I don't think that my method of disposal will ever be non-traumatic or easy for me. It is extremely difficult...every single time. But, when I find that I am questioning myself as to "is this the right thing to do", I just remember the image of my 6 BB babies. I believe that, unfortunately, controlling hosp is an ugly side to what I feel is my responsibility to these birds.
(I, too, liked the idea of donating for a good cause. Could not find any takers in my area.)
Good luck in your search for options and in making your decision.

David,

Look at the photos on my posts "Sparrow Proof" and "Successful Nest Transplant". There is no such thing as sparrow proof but what I did to my nest boxes has worked really well. If you don't make your nest box "spooky" to the sparrows, they will take over the boxes. Now is the time to do it since you don't have blues in them yet.

My local rehab center will take them, but they told me right up front, that they would release them. Same for starlings, even mice. Go figure...
BlueBars

Last year which was my second year with Bluebirds, I saw firsthand what a HOSP will do. Luckily for the Blues it was to Tree Swallows, not lucky for the TRES though. The HOSP killed two TRES in nestboxes. I do trap and dispose of them, I have had no loses this year in any of my boxes due to HOSP, however one did run a chickadee off that had a nest but hadn't laid any eggs yet. Luckily for the chickadee it wasn't harmed. I have also used a BB gun quite successfully here in the yard. Even if you trap them and get them in a bag you can use a BB gun pretty easily.

A Sparrow Spooker works wonders once you have Blues nesting and they have laid the first egg. However you do NOT put them up before that or the sparrows could get used to them. They are taken down immediately after the babies have fledged also. Here is a link to the sparrow spooker, might be a good idea to have one on hand in case you get Blues next season.

Good luck!

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: sparrow spooker

Thank you every one, I have been searching for some local places that I can donate them too.

My local wildlife rehab center doesn't take HOSP as bait. They rescue HOSP too.
Ditto to everything Mac said, especially this.
"I don't think that my method of disposal will ever be non-traumatic or easy for me. It is extremely difficult...every single time."
I've never had HOSP kill a baby or adult but have had them destroy 3 TRES eggs. If you have just a few won't be long before those multiply! I have tons of HOSP here. Have caught 30 this week alone.
At first I couldn't do it, but it gets easier the more stories you hear or experiences you have with them.
Tammy

We have a wildlife center which happens to be located near one of my trails--I can sometimes take hosps there, if I'm in that area, and they use them to feed to the snakes. However, for birds that I trap near home I lay their bodies on a fencepost or other flat surface and the local raptors take care of them. It is not an easy matter, dispatching the life of another living thing, but (like many others here) I have seen so much needless destruction and tragedy caused by house sparrows. This nesting season alone my trails have lost 3 baby tree swallows and at least 16 baby bluebirds to house sparrow attack. Fortunately there was no loss of adults, but I have seen this many times as well.
Kathy

Wow, Kathy! 16 baby blues! I've never had that happen, but it is all of your stories that keep my trapping.
Tammy

Wow, I hope one day there will be a plague to all HOSPS...