Sorry I didn't see this sooner. For whatever reason, RUclips held it in a separate bin "held for review" so it was not immediately apparent. I'm sorry it didn't work. Deterrents are never 100% unfortunately. I find they buy time more than anything. I've lately been putting wren guards and sparrow spookers on all active boxes (after first egg is laid) and always keeping one vacant box out to catch a house sparrow. My hope is that with all the obstacles on the active boxes, a house sparrow will busy itself with the more accessible box. Energy conservation is crucial in wildlife and some biologists believe thata a huge motivating factor in animal decision making. Should a native bird move into the vacant box, protect it and add yet another box to be your vacant box.
Thank you so much for sharing measurements. I am going bonkers trying to keep house sparrows away by slots , sparrow spoilers (after laying eggs of course) and started by using two boxes hoping sparrows would leave the other alone . Successful with bluebirds that fledged , just last week our tree swallows fledged but we’re really harassed by the house sparrows. Afraid they won’t come back because of it
I'm not sure. I don't think so since they are so agile and probably see really good. But since tree swallows are native, play a vital role in their ecosystem and face the same hardships as our other native cavity birds, we as good stewards and conservationists do not want to deter any native bird - not unless the state has issued some sort of instruction about the species. Instead, consider nest box pairing (experiment with distance). I also am a fan of putting wren guards on any active box and then always having a vacant box available for another species. Should a native bird move into the vacant box, add another. The idea behind the wren guard (and a sparrow spooker while you're at it) is to make that box look more undesirable to a potential invader. Your vacant box, will therefore take less effort and appear more desirable and hopefully attract your newcomer bird there. Vacant box paired with active boxes having wren guards and sparrow spookers is not 100% effective, but it's a route to take when trying to manage peace between multiple species.
That's a really good question. From a book I read published in the 1800s, it was recorded that Native Americans kept colonies of purple martins using gourds. And putting up birdhouses of sorts is actual ancient practice among many cultures around the world. But bird catching would be very interesting to research.
Thanks for sharing
Can you please show how to do both sides thank you. Is it better to use push pins or thumbtacks
Thumbtacks are pretty popular. If you have them handy, I'd go with that over screws.
Can you tell me what you mean about both sides?
This didn’t work for me. 😢 slowed the sparrows at first but they figured it out. Worth a shot I guess. Ty
Sorry I didn't see this sooner. For whatever reason, RUclips held it in a separate bin "held for review" so it was not immediately apparent.
I'm sorry it didn't work. Deterrents are never 100% unfortunately. I find they buy time more than anything.
I've lately been putting wren guards and sparrow spookers on all active boxes (after first egg is laid) and always keeping one vacant box out to catch a house sparrow. My hope is that with all the obstacles on the active boxes, a house sparrow will busy itself with the more accessible box. Energy conservation is crucial in wildlife and some biologists believe thata a huge motivating factor in animal decision making.
Should a native bird move into the vacant box, protect it and add yet another box to be your vacant box.
Thank you so much for sharing measurements. I am going bonkers trying to keep house sparrows away by slots , sparrow spoilers (after laying eggs of course) and started by using two boxes hoping sparrows would leave the other alone . Successful with bluebirds that fledged , just last week our tree swallows fledged but we’re really harassed by the house sparrows. Afraid they won’t come back because of it
They are such a pain. The monofilament can be effective for some and ineffective for others. I hope it works for you.
Would this method deter tree swallows?
I'm not sure. I don't think so since they are so agile and probably see really good. But since tree swallows are native, play a vital role in their ecosystem and face the same hardships as our other native cavity birds, we as good stewards and conservationists do not want to deter any native bird - not unless the state has issued some sort of instruction about the species. Instead, consider nest box pairing (experiment with distance). I also am a fan of putting wren guards on any active box and then always having a vacant box available for another species. Should a native bird move into the vacant box, add another.
The idea behind the wren guard (and a sparrow spooker while you're at it) is to make that box look more undesirable to a potential invader. Your vacant box, will therefore take less effort and appear more desirable and hopefully attract your newcomer bird there.
Vacant box paired with active boxes having wren guards and sparrow spookers is not 100% effective, but it's a route to take when trying to manage peace between multiple species.
It would be interesting on how the native Indians would catch birds.
That's a really good question. From a book I read published in the 1800s, it was recorded that Native Americans kept colonies of purple martins using gourds. And putting up birdhouses of sorts is actual ancient practice among many cultures around the world.
But bird catching would be very interesting to research.