Sparrows Eating My Barbeque Pit (1 Viewer)

[LCN]

Hello,
A group of sparrows are eating my barbeque pit. To be more precise they are eating the mortar between the bricks. I have seen them for a few years on the pit but thought they were eating moss or something. But no these little guys are eating the mortar. One spot is through the brick mortar. Any idea of what I can do to stop this. If I don’t stop it soon the pit may be taken down by little sparrows. The Mortar is very sandy ,I love having the birds around just stop eating my house, Any Ideas.

 

[AdrianB]

This isn't intended to be cruel - but some foul tasting (but safe) deterrent applied the the mortar may work. Try tabasco or a similar chilli sauce (lets just hope they are no Cajun!).

 

[Katy Penland]

Hot sauces and chilis won't deter birds -- they have no mucous membranes and aren't bothered. This is why pepper and chili powders are recommended as squirrel deterrents in feeders, because they don't bother the birds but sure discourage the squirrels. :t:

I wonder if they're going after the grit for their crops? Maybe if you offered oyster grit that would satisfy whatever it is in your mortar that they're after and leave your BBQ pit alone?

Gotta say, this is a new one, a bird eating a human out of house and home!

 

[LCN]

I am a Cajun

This isn't intended to be cruel - but some foul tasting (but safe) deterrent applied the the mortar may work. Try tabasco or a similar chilli sauce (lets just hope they are no Cajun!).

You think thats the problem I am Half Cajun??

 

[LCN]

Someone told me today that the birds have to eat the sand to digest is this a wise tale?

 

[Katy Penland]

That's what I was wondering, if they were going after the "grit" in the mortar. That's where the oyster grit comes in -- maybe you can decoy them away from your house and BBQ to the dish of oyster grit.

Some people use broken egg shells and offer those, but you have to be extremely careful to bake the shells to kill all salmonella bacteria or it'll kill the birds that ingest it. If you want to offer eggshells, I'll look up exactly how long and at what temp you need to bake them before they're safe to be set out.

To answer your question, yes, because birds don't -- can't! -- chew their food like we do, everything they eat goes into their "crop" before going to the gizzard for pulverizing as the first part of the digestive process. In the gizzard are grit and, in the larger species, small stones that do the pulverizing. The birds have to periodically replenish this grit, and that may be what's happening at your place. Or not. I'm just speculating here but there's obviously something they must be lacking in their diet to want to go after your mortar this way.

 

[LCN]

Can you give me an idea where to get oyster grit. I have never heard of it.

 

[Katy Penland]

I'm pretty sure you can get it at most pet shops, as captive birds are fed grit since they can't get out to get it on their own. You could probably even find it online through a google search.

 

[LCN]

Thanks for the help Katy

I'm pretty sure you can get it at most pet shops, as captive birds are fed grit since they can't get out to get it on their own. You could probably even find it online through a google search.

I found some on the net. You and so many others here are such a great help.
Randy