Sparrows are taking over........Help!

[Astroman]

I have been establishing a feeding station on my yard for about 2 years now and birds are starting to recognize it as a food source. I live in Milwaukee, WI and I have had a pretty good assortment of birds until this past summer/fall season when sparrows took over the yard.

They wait in bushes for other birds to enter the feeding zone. I watch them as they let Cardinals and Grosbeaks land at the feeder and then they swoop out of the bush past the other birds until they leave. I have even seen them attack Blue Jays that get to close to the feeders.

My beautiful feeders have been reduced to sparrow / squirrel troughs.

Any suggestions of seed types or techniques to get my other birds back?

[TBird]

I have been establishing a feeding station on my yard for about 2 years now and birds are starting to recognize it as a food source. I live in Milwaukee, WI and I have had a pretty good assortment of birds until this past summer/fall season when sparrows took over the yard.

They wait in bushes for other birds to enter the feeding zone. I watch them as they let Cardinals and Grosbeaks land at the feeder and then they swoop out of the bush past the other birds until they leave. I have even seen them attack Blue Jays that get to close to the feeders.

My beautiful feeders have been reduced to sparrow / squirrel troughs.

Any suggestions of seed types or techniques to get my other birds back?
Try switching to safflower seed for a while

[do re meep meep]

There is this book http://www.amazon.com/Outwitting-Squirrels-Stratagems-Dramatically-Misappropriation/dp/1556523025/sr=1-1/qid=1167941464/ref=sr_1_1/102-0585341-2907333?ie=UTF8&s=books Outwitting Squirrels: 101 Cunning Stratagems

Although I don't think that you can really outwit squirrels, you can try to outendure them using those 101 tricks, and have fun in the process of doing so! |8.|

Anyone knows of a book on outwitting (house) sparrows? Same thing here, I guess, we need a repertoire of tricks to outendure them! |8.|

[MlZad]

Astroman, we also had a "sparrow problem".

The way we solved it:
1. separate feeding stations that are about 10 m apart (probably more would be better if you don't have vegetation dividing them...)- one station for sparrows, the second station for other birds.
2. in the sparrow station- give them millet (the same seeds that budgies get).
give to the other birds sunflower seeds
Because sparrows can't eat sunflower seeds, they should stop chasing the other birds away, especially when they find their "millet-station".
When you're successfull, you can also give your other birds (especially in winter) crushed (large crumb size) walnuts and peanuts.
However, it would be for the best that you do not give your other birds something that sparrows can also eat because they could come back and harrass your other birds again...

For the squirrelles, I suggest the same method (a separate feeding station), but with whole walnuts in it. That is the best you can do, beause I watched a documentary on Animal Planet where they created an obstacle course for squirrelles in a yard. They managed to pass it in a week or so and reached the bird feeding station. They tried everything that didn't hurt them, and they passed it all without even breaking a sweat, so I don't think you'll find a permanent solution in that book.

I hope you find this info usefull.

[lvn600]

I would add that you might want to try putting feeders on a pole with a baffle.The baffle has to be pretty high up on the pole because squirrels can jump.The feeder has to be away from trees that squirrels can jump on to the feeder from too. If you do it right it will work 100%.They sell a device called a Halo which can go above a feeder to cut down on your sparrows. It is basically a ring that hangs a few weighted lines around a tube style feeder. Sparrows don't like them and you can make this device yourself if you want to. This worked for me 95% at first but now it cuts down on sparrows by about 70%

[Old Jim]

Based on my own experience in my feeding area birds can be categorized by the way they feed. Sparrows are basically ground feeders while my Finches and other visitors are perch feeders. Using this experience from my own feeding area I use only tube style feeders. I have Niger Seeds in one and Black Oil Sunflower in another. The Finches and visitors feed on the tube feeders hassle free from the Sparrows and the Sparrows stay on the ground hoping for left overs that are spilled from the feeders. In my opinion most feeding problems with birds can be solved by studying their natural habits.

I can't help you with the Squirrels because I have none here.

Hope this helps.

Jim

[brettski]

Agreed with the squirrel defense: feeders on a pole with a baffle. It must be kept back from any overhanging launch pad like trees or nearby roofs. The sparrows....well, that's another pain.
I also battle invasive house sparrows; big time. They are a constant threat when we put out the Purple Martin gourds. WRT feeders, we ultimately had to nix trying to feed the entire spectrum of birds and focused on a few. Since we are also in the midwest, allow me to share one specific facet of success.
Goldfinches are fairly strong here, but we still battled with Sparrows. We then went to the GF upside-down feeders and that cured ALL other moochers. It is absolutely comical to watch the youngsters learn the "flip" move to feed. We also developed a substantial following to the point that they stayed all Winter, relying on our support. We do. Then we noted the substantial amounts of niger seed dropping to the ground. OK for the ground feeders, but WAY too much. We switched to the feeder socks. Voila! The perfect ending. So, in summary, for segregated and successful feeding of Goldfinches, the sock is the answer.

[Transformer]

Today I counted 13 house sparrows at the feeders!!! If they get too rowdy, I chase them away by allowing them to see me peering at them through the window. It scares them, they fly away, and always come back in smaller groups. I have noticed behavior that you mentioned; they won't even be on the feeders, but when other birds come to feed, the aggreessive sparrows will fly over in an attempt to show possession, I guess. They don't push around many species in my backyard; the jays and RBW would never let them get away with it!

As for the safflower, I find that if it's the only thing available, they will eat it. Voracious sparrows eat nuts and suet at my station as well.