How to Trap House Sparrows in a Nest Box 2018
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2024
- Learn to catch house sparrows in nest boxes using a VanErt sparrow nest box trap when house sparrows are seeking out nesting sites.
▶️Learn to catch house sparrows in an elevator trap: • How to Catch House Spa...
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The house sparrow, also known as the English sparrow, is an invasive introduced species in North America & elsewhere. It is an extremely aggressive bird that outcompetes native cavity nesting birds and will destroy their eggs, young and even adults in order to use a nesting cavity. If nesting they will destroy nests of other birds in the vicinity that they see as competition. They are not a protected species in North America and can be legally trapped and eliminated.
To trap them you need a nest box or bird house, a VanErt trap, and a mesh laundry bag. The box can be mounted on a 5 foot or 10 foot telescoping pole made from EMT conduit. The nest box is the same size as used by bluebirds and tree swallows. Both are species that house sparrows compete directly with. Some suggestions for trapping
I suggest you put up more than 1 nest box that house sparrows can enter. I have 5 in my yard. Some of the boxes can be used by native birds for nesting while others will attract house sparrows. When house sparrows adopt a nest box, they can be trapped and eliminated. Mount in the open or next to buildings as those places are preferred by house sparrows. Check your traps every hour as you could catch a native bird. If you trap a native bird remove it from the trap and release it immediately. I aim the box toward my house so I can look out to see if trap is sprung. An alternative to euthanizing the house sparrow is to use it as a decoy in a repeating sparrow trap
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I can testify this trap works fantastic. I had a male hosp staking out my bluebird box. Within 2 hours I had the little bastard and raised 2 broods of bluebirds that summer
That is the kind of news we all like to hear. I experienced the same thing once I got rid of the house sparrows.
I just ordered 2.
Looks good to me, I just ordered four of them! This has been a terrible year for Bluebirds and Tree Swallows being killed on their nests. I hope they work! Other similar designs didn't fit into standard Bluebird boxes, these look like a perfect fit. Thank you for this innovation!
You will love them. Feels so good to eliminate the house sparrow so the natives can survive and reproduce. Thank you!
Thank you for your work. Much appreciated. This is an unsung, unglamorous, and absolutely necessary side of effective conservation efforts. I wish everyone could be convinced to trap. Things would change!
Thank you sir. I started a Facebook group called "starling control" and it's growing and I'm thrilled by the number of people trapping.
Definitely will change if people would trap and stop putting up unmonitored boxes. I trapped all winter...about 70
My Van Ert trap has been a lifesaver! I had one incredibly nasty persistent HS absolutely terrorizing my bluebird pairs.. not anymore. (I don’t take pride in destroying another living creature) but I am so happy to see my bluebirds not being constantly harassed anymore. I’m going to take your advice and mount an extra bluebird house against my house and use it to trap any new HS that might show up. Thankfully there isn’t any at the moment
Very thorough and informative. I've had over 150+ bluebirds fledge from Cincinnati to Richmond VA, and back home to NJ and dealt with European House Sparrow. I actually learned a few things!
Good for you. Love hearing positive stories.
UPDATE: 3/1/22 THE VANERT TRAP REALLY WORKS! First caught was the female Eurasian House Sparrow in 3 minutes. I knew that getting the male was very important. I reset set the VanErt trap and caught the male in 4 minutes! Thank you for the tip on the VanErt European House Sparrow Trap. Pass this along!
Fantastic. You are making a difference
Thank you. . I started this spring...I only had two boxes. Next year I will have more. I waited until dark then raided two nests. Captured adult females and the eggs they were sitting on.
I had a beautiful bluebird family in our nesting box. They had five babies. Yesterday we noticed them fighting another bird. This morning all the babies were dead on the ground outside the nest. I was dumbfounded. I know why now. I'm declaring war. Those parents fought so hard yesterday.
We have bluebirds nesting in our yard and we love them! Find out what bird breed killed your poor bluebirds and KILL them.
@@dianeluoma8339 It was a house sparrow.
I'm incredibly sorry. That's so awful. Now you know why some of us don't allow house sparrows near our native birds. They are destructive.
Glad I found this vid, house sparrows have interferred with my suet cage as it was intended for downys, so I have switched to upside down suet feederes that house sparrows cant use . After this vid think I will add an extra bluebird box for catching the sparrows close to the house.
Ive never seen what I thought was a bluebird here , but I do have plenty of house sparrows and that may be why. I used to always have sunflower seed out for birds another reason why I have so many house sparrows. I even raked up all I could on the ground but still some on ground. I may only have safflower seed as sparrows dont like it. They would kick out the safflower and eat the sunflower seed. When it comes time for me to start trapping the sparrows may have to add the seed back to get them here or not. Not sure I will deal with sparrows now in the dead of winter but have ordered the sparrow trap and nettings, thanks.
I'm so glad to hear that. Glad to help. Good luck.
I am so glad to hear you are going to control house sparrows. Multiple pairs will definitely drive bluebirds away.
@@yes350yes i removed about 70 this winter. Damned things are still coming. Hopefully it pays off some day.
Good for you!
It's so encouraging to hear that your native birds returned! I just moved to a hilly neighborhood that borders dense forest, but is also within 1 mile to shopping centers where the House sparrows and Starlings thrive. I am on the end that is closer to the shopping centers. I have begun eliminating House sparrows, but wonder if my efforts will ever make a difference. Last Winter, I saw a group of 4 Bluebirds enjoying my backyard. My question is: if I saw Bluebirds pass through in the winter, is there ever a chance they may return to nest in my yard in Spring if enough of the House sparrows are gone?
Oh yes if you see bluebirds there is a very good chance they will return to nest. And hosting them is so very satisfying if you can keep the sparrows from destroying their nest. And yes you can make a difference. I hear about it all there time. You'll catch alot but their numbers will decrease.
Great video Jeff. Very informative, and I appreciate the explanation of why you trap House Sparrows as well as the results you mention at the end! Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks so much Bart. I think I spent 2 or 3 weeks on this video. I may be the most inefficient video producer in the world. But when recording outdoors I need no wind and morning light. Then all the editing. I think this video had over 60 clips.
The effort on editing shows Jeff, you really do a nice job! Who operates the camera for you????
I do it all. Probably would be nice to have a director. It really can be hard talking to no one.
Even more kudos to you Jeff for doing it all and doing it well!
Great information! Thanks!
Glad it helped
Why oh why is there zero education against allowing house sparrows to nest in your yard? It is so frustrating that everyone in the east coast knows about deterring and killing lantern flies but not house sparrows which are so much more destructive. The average American has no clue that they are breeding these rats. Birdhouse manufacturers should be required to include house sparrow information in the kit.
You are so right! I hope more people learn from these videos.
@@jemmalemmaa yes. That's the idea. Invasive species. I take it you are not North American? I wouldn't destroy sparrows in Europe since they are native and not destructive there. It's called conservation.
So glad I found this video!! I just checked my box and found a dead male bluebird, undoubtedly killed by a house sparrow. I have bluebirds and tree swallows that try and nest each year, and 75% of the time they are run off or even killed by the sparrows. I will certainly be giving this a try, along with some sparrow spookers once my bluebirds arrive.
I am so glad. This trap was a game changer for me. Feels so good to save the bluebirds from the house sparrows.
Your back yard looks amazing!
It is. Took a long time to transform it from a fescue lawn with a couple kind of trees to a wildlife bonanza. Mostly just plant plant plant a few things at a time.
I am buying that trap. Sick of losing my bluebirds. Thank you
I am so glad you are being a proactive bluebird landlord!
I used my van ert trap for the first time today; a male sparrow would not go in, he just kept peeking into the box. Is it possible he saw the trap and was afraid? He has been the main interference for the Bluebirds so far.
They can be very smart. Try covering the trap with a little grass and make some hang out the hole. It's also important not to look at the sparrow when you are near the nest. They seem to know something is amiss. Good luck. I also think it's best to trap in the am. Take trap out on the pm. Replace at dawn.
Great video. Question - if a bluebird went inside and got trapped, would it startle them enough to prevent them from using this box again? I lost a brood plus female adult bluebird to house sparrows last year and I want to be proactive this year but I’m concerned about scaring away the bluebirds in an attempt to catch house sparrows.
I don't think so. One year I caught the same female three times. She didn't mind at all. I think they know we are helping them.
Thank you for sharing Van Ert as the manufacturer of the trap mechanism. I'm going to build the birdhouse myself saving considerable $'s. Buying a finished nest trap box online starts around $60 up to over $120.
Yes if you have the tools make your own box!
In open areas where I live I like using 3/4” conduit for wind stability. Great video!
I agree you need to use the three quarter inch conduit when you're out in the open. Not only do you get wind but sometimes you get ice and the extra weight will bend a smaller conduit.
I made some bait boxes out of cardboard boxes I received from packages and put those all along my barn under the eaves. I set them up with to Vanert traps in have caught two birds so far! Thanks for your informative videos.
Great idea. I think i should use cardboard. Are yours out of the rain?
@@BackyardBirdsUS Yes, under the eaves of my barn. So far have caught 4 sparrows & had one interested starling. I ordered 4 more Van Ert traps. I just have each one hung on a nail that is pointing up with about 4 inches to slide the box on and use the weight of the box to hold it in place. Once caught, I just walk out and lift the box off the nail. One box fell down but retained the bird, so was a good catch anyway. Not perfect, but gives a lot of dummy boxes to work with.
A couple if years ago, I had Western Kingbirds shiw interest in my Martin house. They drive off all the Starlings and house sparrows that year. What a bless in ng birds. They are flycatcher too by the way,
Western king birds don't nest in cavities but i believe you had a great crested flycatcher which do nest in cavities and look similar to western king birds. I had house sparrow destroy their nest.
How about setting the trap at night when the birds are not active.
I've never done that. The trap works best when they have already selected a nesting place.I find morning best.
What happens when you catch an E. Bluebird ? Will the Bluebird come back and use that nest box ? Please reply , would appreciate it
Yes they will come back. It's just important you release them immediately and monitor the trap. I caught one female 3 times and she was fine.
Thank you - I will try this!
Wonderful! Makes my day!
Just caught my second house sparrow this morning. The first one I clipped its wings and it went to kitty for breakfast. This when I clipped its wings and put it in the repeating sparrow trap. Thanks so much for your videos!
Good job. My cat gets some too. They love them.
I had good success with the elevator trap and used it without shaelter box. I kept at least one decoy bird at all times. After using the trap for a month, it appears that raccoons became aware of the decoy birds, pulled the trap off blocks I used to elevate it, then began prying the metal fabric away from the elevator door at night. If I use the shelter box, do you think it would "hide" the decoy birds from the raccoons and prevent damage to the trap?
I think it would. I'm not sure the raccoons will sense them in the box. I've never had a problem.
I have to hand it to you that is one of the best ideas I've seen in a long time
Well thanks. One more weapon to use against house sparrows.
@@MissMarshall you don't have bluebirds and purple martins do you?
Aha! I've just ordered four of them... great minds crzrck! :)
About a month ago I’ve seen a pair of northeastern bluebirds scoping out a bird house ( bird house was there when we moved in) on my swing set ,this was NOT a bluebird house ...more of a decorative House .... I got excited and quickly went out and bought an actual bluebird house to replace it with and lo and behold yesterday they started working together and building a nest😊😊 my question is , there is only one house on the property I am scared house Sparrows will try to take over ....should I buy another house and set a trap in it as a decoy? Or should I install the trap in the active birdhouse just in case they try to take over
Sorry I'm just replying. I always recommend having more than one nest box (bird house). Don't set the trap if the bluebirds are using the birdhouse though. But by having extra houses you can trap any house sparrows that come to nest. AND don't allow any house sparrows to nest because more will come and it just takes one to destroy the bluebirds nest, or their eggs or kill the adults. AND no one wants that.
Backyard Birds thanks for the reply, everything went great ...5 baby blue birds hatched and five bluebird fledged....I love it because every once in a while the babies come back and scope out there old home and it make me feel good inside knowing that there still heathy and everything went well it’s getting fall now and I don’t think they nest in the winter but I hope next spring they will return to nest again....Thanks again for all your help
@@stifflers69mom1 That is fantastic news. Now that nesting is over, you need to clean out the nest box. It will be dirty. But you need to prepare it for next years nesting season. They need to build a new fresh nest each year. And they will be back! EXCITING.
Backyard Birds 😁after trapping three House sparrow trying to take the house over this year ....THE BLUE BIRDS ARE BACK😁 five eggs , sparrow spooks up , and mammas keepin her eggs nice and warm as I type ...thank you again for giving me the information I need to help the blue bird population
Thanks for doing this video, Jeff! It's very detailed and informative! I think the Van Ert trap is the most helpful tool in my tool box - I have 4 of them!
Thanks. If I didn't have the VanErt, I wouldn't have bluebirds nesting successfully. It is a life saver.
What can you do if it's already June, they've claimed their cavities and already raising young? Any way to trap them at food source?
Not that I've found. Can you get at their nests? Or plug the hole?
Got 2 first time set. Moved Reset. Now I watch them go in and out not triggering trap. Any ideas?
I've had that happen. Try stuffing a few stems of grass in the hole. They will work on it and sometimes get caught.
@@BackyardBirdsUS I started setting as close to end of peg as possible. Works pretty good now . Thanks for another alternative.I also ordered a repeating sparrow trap from Sparrowtraps.net. Got good reviews and resets itself. Don't order one from anybody else.like I did cuz it was cheaper. I'm disputing it now with PayPal from Kuntachu.
Great video Jeff, Thank You
Thanks Will. I hope its helpful.
Nice video n useful information
Thank you so much. I hope it was helpful to you.
where can I buy them in Canada
I think they ship to Canada.
What do you do when you catch it
@@MissMarshall gets rid of constant chirping I guess
They are humanely euthanized.
Get a laundry bag. Swift swing against the side of the shed.
Good suggestion or against pavement.
So early in winter in NE Ohio? February? They are pushing out the House Wren's.
No but they will come spring. Good to get rid of them now.
Do you also kill hawks, kestrels and magpies? Asking for a friend.
No no no. Why would anyone do that. For one they are protected species.
The last of the great white hunters!
I'm glad others are doing this as well!
When is it going to be spring in India which month
I don't know. Why do you ask.
@@BackyardBirdsUS cause I want to do it too
Just watch them and see if they are nest building. You don't have four seasons like we do further north. They may nest there year round.
bought 2 of these and they havent caught anything lol. great boxes though. im sure theyll work for others. but im pretty sure these sparrows in my yard are obsessed with just nesting in my garage
Hard to get them to use a box if they have other old places to nest. Can you destroy their other nests?
@@BackyardBirdsUS yes i tear down about 4 nests every 2 days. the past about 2 months i have been resealing my entire soffits and faucia and putting tin over it. i have a carriage house as a garage so its about as big as a small house. these birds are PERSISTENT. they want to nest no where but my garage. even though there is many trees around. ive tried insect fogs, air frshners on a timer, silver streamers that are reflective, hanging cds, hanging owls, these bird boxes. they will kill themselves to try to get into any tiny opening in my garage. repeatedly. and my gutters to. they hop in my gutter and use it as a ledge to go under my metal roof and nest. so i had to put gutter guards on and put the flap over the top of the roof and then zip strip any tiny piece. the smallest hole they will go into. im talking like if you have the size of even like a quarter they will squeeze in. i noticed one of my gutters one flew out. there was a tiny tiny corner hole that i packed with chicken wire to seal the corner. they squeezed through that cutting themselves to get in and built a nest that was about 8 inches long down my gutter. its been so hot outside that my work on sealing my entire roof with tin has been slow. and its literally a war at this point with these birds. they are violent and aggressive attacking other birds. i recently found 2 new openings they pecked through the wood fascia on the other side just enough to squeeze in and start using that side since the other side is tin they cant peck through that. so now there is 2 more sides i have to cover that are very hard to reach. its just a nightmare tbh. the inside of my garage attic is disgusting and i cant do a deep clean of it till all these birds are gone. they nest in the insulation and ive lost hundreds of dollars worth of insulation from nests being in it and being weighed down and falling. and the bugs they are attracting is awful
Good video , thanks , The hole size needed for Blue birds will not keep out invasive English House sparrows, so will have to trap if you have or want Blue birds .
i will never get Blue Birds where i live but want to keep the House Sparrows out of my nest boxes . so i use a 1 and 1/8 round hole or the 7/8 oval hole for Violet Green swallows. . To make the 7/8 oval hole see the you tube video ( oval hole for bird houses ) Malcolm , Victoria B C
I started using 1-1/8 holes in some boxes so chickadees and house wrens can nest and the house sparrows and other birds can't enter. It really worked as I had my first successful chickadee nesting this year.
Why won't you ever get bluebirds? not in their range?
Thanks for info on the 7/8 oval hole for violet green swallows.
VERY thorough, thank you! Wanted to add for those wondering how to kill the house sparrow: Once you're holding the house sparrow in your gloved hand from the outside of the bag, keep ahold of it while removing the bag from the nest box and cinch the bag closed. While holding the cinched end, swing the bag around a few times (this will daze the house sparrow) and whack it against something hard, like a tree. It won't know what hit it and, as long as you don't whack it too hard, there's no blood.
Thank you again, sir, I will be buying the trap through your link. I'll try to remember to let you know of my results!
Thank you kindly. Great info on dispatching.
@@BackyardBirdsUS Thank you! I learned that dispatch technique from the people that sell the Repeating House Sparrow Trap. It works really well, especially for the squeamish because it's kind of more "hands off."
An Update: The Van Ert trap worked great! Within an hour of attaching the trap, I caught the female, then male, House Sparrow pair that had taken over my Bluebird house! (They had also layed one egg already.) So glad this simple little trap was invented and your explanation of how to use it was spot on! I have a nesting pair of Bluebirds with 4 new babies in another nestbox in a more forested area of our property I'm keeping an eye on. After all the Bluebirds have left for the season, I'm going to set up the two screws in that box as well, just in case, so I won't have to fiddle with it if the time comes, I will be able to just slide the Van Ert trap on the screws.
Thank you again!!! 😊
This is wonderful news. I'm extremely happy to hear of your success.
Why would u trap a bird?
I think sparrows kill the other birds chicks
House sparrows are aggressive not native birds that prevent native birds from nesting successfully.
They will kill the babies of other birds and kill the adults while they are in the nest.
Looks like a pretty good idea, unfortunately, while controlling vermin does give you some satisfaction, depending on where you live, you can catch 100 house sparrows and not even put a dent in the population. Therefore it is far better to use deterrents, denying them food and nesting sites.
It makes all the difference to trap and remove. That's why bluebirds and Martin landlords do it.
Good for you man!! Sparrows are absolutely EVIL birds kill em all bro !!!!!!!
House sparrows are the worst. Don't confuse with all of our native north American sparrows.
Trap ????????!!!!!!!!!😪
Yes you trap them. Did you watch the video about them being invasive m
Lots of people understand the damage this invasive species does in north America. I hope you will learn too.
In England the house sparrow is in massive decline. It's being replaced by pigeons and seagulls that truly disgusting and a hazardous element. Your living in an idyllic setting, but this culling of a species based on it's demeanor for survival would be a great answer to the human condition also?
I hope you are helping the house sparrow in it's native land.
I love sparrows.
I love our 50 species of native sparrows but the house sparrow is not a North American native sparrows.
This is very useful, but the video does not explain how to euthanize the house sparrows.
I didn't explain it because it's a topic in and of itself.. join Facebook group "house sparrow control" lots of people explain it.
Hit them with a stick brick or other large object while they are in the clothes bag.
That will do it.
After the house sparrow flies into the bag, grab ahold of it, like he did in the video, from the outside of the bag. While holding it, remove the bag from the nest box and cinch it closed again. Take the bag with the house sparrow inside, swing it around a few times and whack it against something hard, like a tree. Swinging the bag kind of dazes them and they won't know what hit them. There's no blood... as long as you don't whack it against the tree too hard.
The trap works. However did not have the courage to catch and euthanize that sparrow.
That can be the hardest part! But I find it easier if you don't look at the bird. You can do it. Imagine the house sparrow killing a Blue bird, which they will do.
You should be happy that you’ve got a population of house sparrows. In England they’re all dying out!
You should help then. They are a horrible problem in north America.
They have been in decline over here but I find it harsh you want rid of them just bcz you favour bluebirds.
They just have habits you don't like it's called nature, do you also trap other birds like hawks and seagull?
Invasive introduced species is not nature. It's a human made problem. There is nothing natural about house sparrows in north America. It's like introducing rats to an island and they eat all of the sea birds babies. That's not nature.
But let me add, I'm all in favor of you and others helping them in their native land where they are part of the ecosystem. They are part of nature and you should be applauded for helping them. Thank you.
But I like house sparrows. They eat in the front of my house with a large amount of house finches and gold finches.
Cyborg Please they eat grubs out my garden. They also don’t like the goldfinches as they outnumber the house finches
They also eliminate our native cavity nesting birds and are super aggressive. There are plenty of examples of the males entering a nest and pecking the mother bird's skull open. They do this to eliminate the competition when they are nesting. Very gruesome.
Backyard Birds I see now. Luckily in St Louis, Missouri I am seeing a Eurasian Tree Sparrows. It’s not native but it is a pretty helpful species which has not left the STL area. They aren’t invasive either. There actually more scared of other birds including their cousins.
@@BackyardBirdsUS I've seen bluebirds swallows and chickadees with smashed skulls and nest built on top of the bodies by these invasive rats with wings. . It is horrifying. Thank God there are people like you who care enough to give our native birds a chance. Keep up the great work.
I would never euthanize a bird
Have someone else do it for you
Leave the sparrows alone. If the bluebirds are too weak then too bad for them
That makes no sense. Please explain your reasoning to let an invasive species kill our native bluebirds.
@@BackyardBirdsUS I think he/she means that let them nest if the parents are too weak then let them die.. but I understand your trying to help but there’s other bird problems out there that we don’t even know..
Don’t kill the sparrows 😫 or any living bird
th-cam.com/video/w-Ih_-7ovL8/w-d-xo.html
Do you trap mice and rats?
@@MissMarshall what is your idea.
@@MissMarshall why do i I have the feeling you're pro abortion too?
@@randyreal5871 Everyone should watch this video! They might understand better. They killed a beautiful bluebird in my back yard. Now they are after the Wrens who have eggs.