![]() Instead of 50 arriving at once, now it’s only a few at a time. It seems like they eat a little bit of the striped sunflower, but they don’t love it! Since I have started using striped sunflower, I have noticed substantially lower amounts of sparrows visiting my feeders. Because of the work required to get to the seed, it discriminates against many types of birds, including House Sparrows. Striped sunflower seed is larger and has a thicker husk than black-oil sunflower seeds. Here are the food and feeder combinations that seem to work best to control House Sparrows. Tip #2: Offer Massive Amounts of Cheap Food!īut I have done quite a bit of experimenting in my backyard, trying to find the best mix of seed and feeders that deter and limit the number of House Sparrows. For a more detailed guide about House Sparrow control regarding bluebird boxes, check out this 4 page PDF from the North American Bluebird Society.RELATED: 6 Proven Ways to Attract BLUEBIRDS!.In addition, you are providing a superb nesting location for House Sparrows. They say it’s just inviting House Sparrows to harass, annoy, and potentially kill any bluebirds that use the nesting box. Many bluebird experts say you should avoid putting up bird houses in urban areas altogether.Once they inhabit one box, they typically will prevent other sparrows from using the second box, which leaves it available to other birds. If you decide to put out nesting boxes, it’s recommended to install at least two of them about 10 feet apart.Unfortunately, House Sparrows are cavity nesters (like bluebirds) and love using these bird houses to raise their young. They can be deployed on a ledge or area that you just can’t stop House Sparrows from frequenting. The good news is that you can purchase bird spikes for your home too. Recently, I spotted these spikes on top of the sign at Lowe’s Home Improvement (picture above), which are installed to keep House Sparrows from nesting on the sign.Many vent covers are even are designed specifically to keep birds out! Cover any outside vents with an appropriate cover.Observe where they are nesting and install the appropriate netting or deterrent. House Sparrows prefer to nest in crevices or cavities near people. This prevents them from hatching, but the female sparrow won’t know and will continue to sit on the nest instead of trying to lay again.ī. Some people recommend shaking the eggs once laid.You may have to remove the nest a few times before they get the hint! The hope is that these birds will get frustrated and move on to another location. If you spot one making a nest, remove it immediately! Luckily, eliminating or monitoring potential sparrow nesting locations can help stop them from raising their young in your backyard.Īs they say, “ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”Ī. There is no denying the fact that House Sparrows thrive living near people and benefit from almost everything that humans provide. Tip #1: Eliminate & Monitor Nesting Sites. I find it hard to blame them for their massive success as a species since it was us humans who released them all over the world. I have even come to (almost) appreciate House Sparrows. Learn more about the two LIVE bird cameras in my backyard HERE!.It’s not surprising to see a few House Sparrows, but it’s rare to see my feeding station overrun with them. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of House Sparrows in my backyard, I have implemented some of the below strategies, which have at least helped deter them!įor example, here is a LIVE look at my bird feeders. I put together 5 tips that will help control House Sparrows. It’s a bit unrealistic to think you can stop or get rid of them entirely. House Sparrows are one of the most successful and widespread species on the planet. Is it possible to get rid of House Sparrows from your yard? Sadly, it’s not uncommon to find a dead bluebird in a nesting box that was savagely murdered by an angry House Sparrow. This is especially true for birds that compete for the same cavity-nesting spots, such as Eastern Bluebirds. Not only are House Sparrows highly adaptable, but they can also be very aggressive. They also tend to intimidate or scare away all the birds that I actually want to see. There are so many of them, and it’s expensive to feed! Seriously, where do they all come from? It seems out of nowhere a flock of 50 House Sparrows will arrive to eat all of my bird food.Originally from the Middle East, they are highly adaptable and have inhabited every corner of Planet Earth, usually close to humans. House Sparrows can be annoying to have in your backyard for many reasons: “How do I get rid of all these House Sparrows?!”ĭoes this statement sound familiar? If you feed birds, you have probably frustratingly muttered (or screamed!) something like this before.
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