Sparrow problems (1 Viewer)

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stavrouchris

Well-known member

• Mar 10, 2011

• #1

Dear all
The next box I put up last year for Great Tit was constantly harassed by Sparrows until the tits abandoned the nest. When I opened the box to clear it I found dead chicks. I see the sparrows are doing it again this year.
Any suggestions on how to keep the Sparrows away?

 

A

Apodemus

Well-known member

• Mar 10, 2011

• #2

stavrouchris said:

Dear all
The next box I put up last year for Great Tit was constantly harassed by Sparrows until the tits abandoned the nest. When I opened the box to clear it I found dead chicks. I see the sparrows are doing it again this year.
Any suggestions on how to keep the Sparrows away?

Click to expand...

Put more boxes up.

 

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stavrouchris

Well-known member

• Mar 10, 2011

• #3

you think so?

 

N

Nature__lover

Well-known member

• Mar 10, 2011

• #4

stavrouchris said:

you think so?

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25 or 28mm hole boxes will allow blue tits and coal tits to nest in the box , but not house sparrows or great tits. would be a shame to exclude the great tits, but that can't really be helped as they're about the same size as the sparrows.
you can make the hole smaller without buying a new box by putting a nest box plate around the hole, ( http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/Nestboxes/Nest_box_plates.htm ) that is smaller than the actual hole. this will also prevent predators like squirrels and magpies from getting in and killing young.

 

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Joe1980

Well-known member

• Mar 10, 2011

• #5

I hate to say it, but that is the nature of the house sparrow. Putting up more boxes will most likey allow more places for house sparrows to nest. Mother nature can be a brutal thing, and in your case, because the house sparrow is native there, you can't do anything about it.

 

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stavrouchris

Well-known member

• Mar 11, 2011

• #6

The things is though, that the sparrows can't get in because the hole is too small.
But they just keep pestering the tits, poking their heads in the hole and generally not letting them get near.

 

J

Joe1980

Well-known member

• Mar 12, 2011

• #7

They are known to do that. I don't know if it's because they are looking to take out their frustrations because they can't use the house, or if they just like to pester other birds. I've notced that they do that, but they don't seem to pester birds that don't nest in birdhouses.

 

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stavrouchris

Well-known member

• Mar 13, 2011

• #8

Well I just have to hope for the best I suppose.
I hated having to clear the nest of dead chicks last year