Starling and sparrow pest control

[johnsonian09]

Ello. The starlings and sparrows have invaded. No more chickadees, titmouses bluebirds and orioles. Just starlings and sparrows.

I’ve been shooting the parents of fledgling starlings as they hop about. Then get the younger ones because they don’t leave their parent.

The sparrows seem endless I’ve counted more then 30.

If I term all the males will the females all leave?

My co worker who keeps snakes has been very happy this week. Gave him 17 frozen starlings


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Duke3026]

The Starling’s do a job on Bluebirds, competing for nest cavities.

[country gent]

A decoy of an owl or other bird of prey may help for awhile more effective if you move it around every few days.

[Winger Ed.]

Sparrows will destroy the population of the song birds.
I've seen them drive off other birds while they were nest building. Also going into other bird's nests and throwing the chicks out.

Around here, we get rid of the easy to spot male sparrows on sight, all year long.
Getting rid of one male sparrow eliminates one nesting pair.

[megasupermagnum]

It seems it would be easier to just get out of the house and live life than it is to worry about what birds nest within shooting range of your house.

[Geezer in NH]

Tell us that when you have heart problems and have a hard time walking to the car.

Huh I cannot wait till you understand, Eh?

[Winger Ed.]

It seems it would be easier to just get out of the house and live life than it is to worry about what birds nest within shooting range of your house.

Some of us can multi-task.

[hoodat]

Heck, sometimes if I didn't shoot starlings, I wouldn't be doing any shooting at all. My highly pedigreed European bird dog has never retrieved a pheasant, but she's been busy with the starlings. jd

302316

[dverna]

An excellent safari with a decent air rifle.

[todd9.3x57]

a ruger 10/22 will work too.

[HWooldridge]

The sparrows cleaned off our grapes this year. We didn't have many due to the drought but I was trying to keep whatever was there. The birds were watching same as me, and they cleaned off most of the fruit in one day. I'm always amazed they know when stuff is ripe.

[johnsonian09]

I’ve been using my Airgun largely. I enjoy watching/listening to the song birds on weekend mornings. Just the invasive ones have ran them out this year.

I’ve moved an owl statue around and play hawk shrieks on a timer. They seem to have gotten used to both. Actually I think the blue jays have learned to imitate the hawk speakers.

I was curious mainly if all the male sparrows died if the females would leave. Guess that’s not the case. They don’t seem to be very smart. They will sit there right next to the body like it’s not even there.

Hopefully the locals will be back in a week or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wilecoyote]

...invasive species ?
you should deal with pidgeons, but the worst are now the seagulls, and here you can't even shoot 'em down:(

[Winger Ed.]

They will sit there right next to the body like it’s not even there.

A lot of animals will do that when their mate dies.

We have some song birds that look a lot like female sparrows, so I don't shoot them.
Killing the easy to identify males is sort of like an investment in the future.

[Rapier]

My job for years was guarding the chicken feed, in the feeders. I shot the sparrows on the wing with a 22 using shorts. Not too many sitting shots, could not shoot the feeders or a chicken. That was a few decades ago.

[MT Gianni]

At the age of 11 we would sit in my friends station wagon and shoot them over bait [bread crumbs] out of his folks station wagon. Things were different in 65.

[HWooldridge]

...invasive species ?
you should deal with pidgeons, but the worst are now the seagulls, and here you can't even shoot 'em down:(

I spent a lot of my youth shooting pigeons. The farmers were always trying to keep them out of their barns so we would go in and scare them off the roost then pop them outside when they circled back around. Some folks called them, “flying rats”…

[GregLaROCHE]

No starlings here, but I wish we had some bluebird’s to help with the insect population. They are around. I’ve seen them nesting around 3km from here. Any advice on how to get them to nest here?

[wilecoyote]

Some folks called them, “flying rats”…
I'm one of those folks, and really they are full of pathogenic germs like rats.
in fact, the only bonus of the seagulls is that here they attack and eat the pigeons too.

[Jeff Michel]

No starlings here, but I wish we had some bluebird’s to help with the insect population. They are around. I’ve seen them nesting around 3km from here. Any advice on how to get them to nest here?

We always put up a "blue bird" house. You have to monitor it because sparrows will move in at the first chance. To the OP, I use an air rifle for the starlings and a Hav-a-heart repeating trap for the sparrows. The live trap is nice because you can sort the good from the bad, so to speak. To our friend in Venice, they make repeating traps for pigeons as well.

[elmacgyver0]

It seems it would be easier to just get out of the house and live life than it is to worry about what birds nest within shooting range of your house.

I spent many a hour shooting sparrows in my teen years with a BB gun, it got me out of the house and some of the best years I lived in my life.

[wilecoyote]

. To our friend in Venice, they make repeating traps for pigeons as well.
...thank about the tip but, pidgeons or seagulls, anything against the constitutional rights of these damned birds would be enough to end up in front of a judge, here.:(

[GregLaROCHE]

Is it now against the law to shoot pigeons ?

[Bazoo]

You cannot legally shoot sparrows as they are native and protected. Starlings though are not protected and can be taken within proper hunting guidelines for your state.

[wilecoyote]

Is it now against the law to shoot pigeons ?
here for sure, as eliminating them in any other way.
(only the seagulls have the right to kill them, and legally the seagulls are allowed to stole sandwiches & ice creams from tourists hands. some days ago a tourist was maimed by a more active seagull, here, in S.Marco square, Venice It.).
please, no comments about our PETA, our admins, etc.[smilie=b:

[HWooldridge]

About 25 years ago, we had a neighbor who kept homing pigeons and apparently wasn't aware that dove season was upcoming. He would exercise the pigeons every few days and made the mistake of doing that on opening day. IIRC, only 1 or 2 birds made it back to the coop...I think he got out of the pigeon business and moved away after that.

[farmbif]

No starlings here, but I wish we had some bluebird’s to help with the insect population. They are around. I’ve seen them nesting around 3km from here. Any advice on how to get them to nest here?
you can have all mine. ive yet to get to eat very many cherries off my cherry trees. they know exactly when they are ripe enough to eat and will clean out all the trees completely in one morning.
on attracting bluebirds
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/attracting-bluebirds-tips-faq/

[farmbif]

ive given up on trying to control the birds. starlings are one of only a few birds that will actively go after and destroy colonies of wasps and yellow jackets, ive given up on the cherries and just let the trees grow and pretty much the same with my peach trees but if they start going after my main crop which is chestnuts then I will go to war with the culprits.
I feel very fortunate to have some of the birds I have around here. there are lots and lots of birds including a giant woodpecker that is no less than 18" tall. the most beautiful bird ive ever seen. the exception are turkey's that I will harvest in season

[Duke3026]

No starlings here, but I wish we had some bluebird’s to help with the insect population. They are around. I’ve seen them nesting around 3km from here. Any advice on how to get them to nest here?

Build Bluebird nesting boxes in your area. Fairly simple builds, plans are available with a simple search. Having the correct diameter entry way is important, helps cut down on other competing birds.

http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/PDF/NABS%20factsheet%20-%20Nestbox%20Recs.pdf
http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/fact-sheets-plans/

[dale2242]

Blue Birds are cavity nesters.
Search the web for Blue Bird nest boxes.
There are dozens of plans out there.
If you have cats for pets or have feral cats nearby, mount then on metal pipe or conduit so the cats can`t climb pole and catch the babies.
Tree swallows will also use these nest boxes.

[MT Gianni]

We always put up a "blue bird" house. You have to monitor it because sparrows will move in at the first chance. To the OP, I use an air rifle for the starlings and a Hav-a-heart repeating trap for the sparrows. The live trap is nice because you can sort the good from the bad, so to speak. To our friend in Venice, they make repeating traps for pigeons as well.

It can help to cover the front of a bluebird box with metal then cover it again with a light wood. Properly built a sparrow cannot fit inside. They will enlarge the hole so they can kill the "invading" bluebird on it's nest. Bluebird boxes should be at least 100 yards apart and sited so the nest openings do not face another nest.

[rockrat]

I thought sparrows, like starlings, were a non-native species

With all the neighbors around here now, I really hesitate to even get out my pellet rifle.

[dale2242]

There are 4 nonnative, invasive, unprotected birds in Oregon.
House Sparrow, European starling, Eurasian collared dove, and pigeon also known as Rock Dove.

[wmitty]

Texas Dept Of Transportation has subcontracted the cleanup of all roadkill to the buzzards. The Mexican buzzards also are taking on more and more of the concrete work…

I was told the buzzards were a protected species. I told the guy I didn’t think so but would check… sure ‘nough he spontaneously disassembled when that 55 grain Sierra hit him…

Rapier; to shoot a flying bird from the sky consistently with a rifle is quite a feat… I congratulate you on your excellent marksmanship!

[rockrat]

I think I would go after the female sparrows. If you have 30 nesting pairs, get rid of 29 females and you only have one nest. Get rid of the males and you would still have 30 nests with eggs and one tired/happy male sparrow:)

[Good Cheer]

Sparrows will destroy the population of the song birds.
I've seen them drive off other birds while they were nest building. Also going into other bird's nests and throwing the chicks out.


Yep, I saw them doing it this year.

[Winger Ed.]

I think I would go after the female sparrows. If you have 30 nesting pairs, get rid of 29 females and you only have one nest. Get rid of the males and you would still have 30 nests with eggs and one tired/happy male sparrow:)

My understanding is they stay together as a pair for the time it takes to raise the new chicks.
They don't have harems or whatever like deer and cows with one dominate male.

Here, there are a couple different kinds of song birds that look very similar to female sparrows.
The male sparrow is very distinct.

Without a equal number of male or female for breeding pairs, the flock will shrink.
At least that theory is working pretty well around here.

Also, the male sparrow is the aggressive one that destroys other bird's nests, or sits in it to run them off,
and will go in and throw their chicks out of the nest.

[pworley1]

I have been shooting sparrows since I was a kid in the 50's. I am still loosing ground on the population.

[.452]

Have been putting out bluebird box(es) in Michigan. Male English sparrows are the WORST for the bluebirds. They harass/fight/take over the box/break eggs/throw out chicks. They are way more aggressive than the females. The hole that lets in the bluebird lets in a sparrow. Starlings can't get in. I've made boxes for other people and have been to festivals/events where people have bluebird boxes. I tell everyone if you aren't willing to KILL English sparrows don't put up a bluebird box. I've had boxes 50 yards apart without issues.
I typically get 2-3 nestings a year. This year the first two were destroyed. The first (4 eggs) got the eggs and nest before they hatched. Nesting material a mess. Second (5 eggs) four eggs hatched, got almost to fledging size, gone when we got home after being gone 2 days). Third (4 eggs) three hatched, one to fledgling size, gone when we got home after being gone 5 days. As big as it was when we left I doubt the sparrows messed with it and the nest wasn't messed with. Last year none of the 3 nestings made it.