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Been using a sparrow trap to manage an ever booming population of House Sparrows which raid my wild bird feeders and are a general nuisance. House Sparrows are in fact not a sparrow - rather an invasive species of weaver finch introduced from England just like Starlings. They displace our native cavity nesting birds like Eastern and Western Bluebirds - killing adults and brood in the nest, along with Purple Martins and other swallow species. They are not a protected species, and as a wild bird enthusiast, we're encouraged to try and manage the population in any manner possible.
I've used a repeating sparrow trap with good success the past several seasons, however, squirrels and blue jays often rob the trap of feed before I can trap any house sparrows. It's gotten to the point I can no longer use the trap as they are stealing feed faster than I can keep it loaded, so I'm turning to my PB family of inventive DIY experts for a solution.
I would like ideas on how to utilize electricity to euthanize birds either at a feeder or bird bath location. I'd need the option of turning the electricity on with a switch indoors so I don't harm any other species of birds. Maybe a broomstick with two wires running the length, which could be screwed into a floodlight socket outside the home run by an interior switch? When the birds land on the wires, which would have some kind of bait suspended above it, their feet would complete the circuit once I flipped on the switch and they'd be euthanized. I know absolutely nothing about electricity so not sure if this is a sound design or not. Could one electrify a feeder tray made of copper or aluminum and filled with preferred sparrow feed and activated from indoors somehow?
Looking for any ideas here - these vermin are out of control and I'm out of options. My native birds are suffering...need your help.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Not sure I totally understand why you want to kill these little birds? Are they the "wrong kind?" Are they destroying your property? Can you set up additional feeders for all to enjoy? Charlie
...when in doubt...set the hook...
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My post cites some HOSP characteristics which demonstrate the effect of weaver finches on native birds. For wild bird enthusiasts - they are a major problem as they flock to feeders, prevent access of other species, and consume copious amounts of seed - which is not cheap. If you would like to understand the effect of non-native invasive species on native species there's several studies performed by Universities, wildlife biologists [white perch, yellow bass, asian carp], horticulturists [parrotfeather, eurasian watermilfoil], and in this case, ornithologists regarding weaver finches and starlings. Here's a good start for you: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw305http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Passer_domesticus.htmhttp://www.bluebirdnut.com/house_sparrows.htmlHappy reading!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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I like the double wire idea. I wonder if a fence charger would supply enough current to do the job? As a boy, I found dead squirrels a time or two laying underneath our fence.
I keep envisioning an old Ford Buzz coil, with the wire coming off the secondary. those old 6 volt coils get HOT when you run 12 volts through em'.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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I think direct current from the flood light receptacle is the best bet, as I can flip a switch whenever the HOSPs are lined up and feeding. I just need a prototype.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Back when I was a kid the electric fence chargers pulsed and didn't pack enough punch to kill anything I don't think. There was an urban legend back then about peeing on an electric fence that my best buddy and I tested.....the legend is true!
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We have had the English sparrow around here as long as I can remember. They have been good bug catchers in the garden and have always been welcome although they tend to take over bird houses that we out up for Purple Martins. They are a cheerful talkative bird. I have never seen them be to aggressive toward other birds and they live here year round . Sorry but I can't see killing them .
Pat W
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My post cites some HOSP characteristics which demonstrate the effect of weaver finches on native birds. For wild bird enthusiasts - they are a major problem as they flock to feeders, prevent access of other species, and consume copious amounts of seed - which is not cheap. If you would like to understand the effect of non-native invasive species on native species there's several studies performed by Universities, wildlife biologists [white perch, yellow bass, asian carp], horticulturists [parrotfeather, eurasian watermilfoil], and in this case, ornithologists regarding weaver finches and starlings. Here's a good start for you: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw305Teejay, That's all fine and good. Just asking the question, thats all. Do you think you alone can make that big of an impact on the species? It just sounds like mother nature doing what it does best. Be careful of the electrical element. When my oldest daughter was about 4yrs old, she unknowingly grabbed a hot wire on an electric fence....she's fine, but was not for a time... Charlie
Last edited by stickem'; 01/29/15 07:45 PM.
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I sympathize with you, TJ!
I can't count how many times I've cleaned out a bluebird house where the sparrows had nested right on top of the natives and kicked them out. They do the same to our purple martin house. They also infested our barn until we taught a cat to climb a ladder to get to their nests.
I don't have a good suggestion for eradication. There are certain seeds you can use that they don't like so much. But if you're an avid birder then I assume you already know about those.
Last edited by Bocomo; 01/29/15 07:56 PM.
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I agree on the wire idea, but it obviously will not be selective. Are there opportunities present when only the target species will be affected? As in, are there that many of them to give a reasonable expectation of killing primarily the finches? No chance of a high powered pellet rifle equipped with decent optics? I think two wires run parallel to each other, with an air gap of around 1/8", one wire to common, one to hot would probably do it. Wire it into an adapter that screws into the outside floodlight. But you didn't hear it from me.
Last edited by sprkplug; 01/29/15 08:05 PM. Reason: added detail
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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I sympathize with you, TJ!
I can't count how many times I've cleaned out a bluebird house where the sparrows had nested right on top of the natives and kicked them out. They do the same to our purple martin house. They also infested our barn until we taught a cat to climb a ladder to get to their nests.
I don't have a good suggestion for eradication. There are certain seeds you can use that they don't like so much. But if you're an avid birder then I assume you already know about those. I've found that a few times myself. It's heartbreaking to see the week old bluebirds with their skulls caved in and eyeballs pecked out.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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We have had the English sparrow around here as long as I can remember. They have been good bug catchers in the garden and have always been welcome although they tend to take over bird houses that we out up for Purple Martins. They are a cheerful talkative bird. I have never seen them be to aggressive toward other birds and they live here year round . Sorry but I can't see killing them .
Pat W Not here to convince anyone of the effect of invasive species on natives - thankfully the scientific community has done that legwork.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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TJ,
Do you have a photo you could post of one of the birds?
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I sympathize with you, TJ!
I can't count how many times I've cleaned out a bluebird house where the sparrows had nested right on top of the natives and kicked them out. They do the same to our purple martin house. They also infested our barn until we taught a cat to climb a ladder to get to their nests.
I don't have a good suggestion for eradication. There are certain seeds you can use that they don't like so much. But if you're an avid birder then I assume you already know about those. Squirrels have adapted to love black, yellow and white millet, and even stale bread. Trying catfood for a while, but imagine the jays will hammer it.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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I agree on the wire idea, but it obviously will not be selective. Are there opportunities present when only the target species will be affected? As in, are there that many of them to give a reasonable expectation of killing primarily the finches? No chance of a high powered pellet rifle equipped with decent optics? I think two wires run parallel to each other, with an air gap of around 1/8", one wire to common, one to hot would probably do it. Wire it into an adapter that screws into the outside floodlight. But you didn't hear it from me. I would never leave a hot wire on, it would be controlled by an interior switch.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Understood, I was curious as to how you would control what species landed on the wire? My luck would have 5 of the target species land, but one desirable species would land along with them, preventing me from throwing the switch? That's why I was wondering if their numbers were so great as to preclude interference by other species.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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I sympathize with you, TJ!
I can't count how many times I've cleaned out a bluebird house where the sparrows had nested right on top of the natives and kicked them out. They do the same to our purple martin house. They also infested our barn until we taught a cat to climb a ladder to get to their nests.
I don't have a good suggestion for eradication. There are certain seeds you can use that they don't like so much. But if you're an avid birder then I assume you already know about those. Squirrels have adapted to love black, yellow and white millet, and even stale bread. Trying catfood for a while, but imagine the jays will hammer it. What about thistle? Pat, sparrows do their dirty work inside the nests, which might be why you haven't seen it. They crack eggs and kill nestlings to take over nest sites, and this behavior has been well-documented for decades.
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Understood, I was curious as to how you would control what species landed on the wire? My luck would have 5 of the target species land, but one desirable species would land along with them, preventing me from throwing the switch? That's why I was wondering if their numbers were so great as to preclude interference by other species. Great questions T. HOSP flock, they tend to take over feeding areas. They are easily recognizable, and I've been birding for 20 years so the ID is simple. Ideally I'd like to make the perch small enough for a single bird to fit at a time, which eliminates this issue. Bottom line - you can't throw the switch unless it's 100%. Also, there are types of seed that only HOSP will readily eat, which can help discourage other birds from the target zone. Popcorn, bread, and especially millet are high on the list of HOSP favorites. Our neighborhood is devoid of any other species of sparrows which could possibly be an ID issue, so that further simplifies the approach.
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Might be a good idea to contemplate the shape of the perch, in order to ensure the target falls away and off of, rather than right on top of, the hot zone.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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Pellet guns illegal in city limits, and they are exceedingly spooky birds, which scatter whenever a window or door is cracked. I can't help but suspect wild bird enthusiasts collective efforts to manage their populations have rendered surviving adults to be very wily. Bluebirding is popular in NE, and the serious birders seem to have sparrow traps engaged near nest sites. I think a few near misses and escapes educates them quickly.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Might be a good idea to contemplate the shape of the perch, in order to ensure the target falls away and off of, rather than right on top of, the hot zone. I figured you'd consider that while working the prototype this weekend, Tony.
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Been using a sparrow trap to manage an ever booming population of House Sparrows which raid my wild bird feeders and are a general nuisance. House Sparrows are in fact not a sparrow - rather an invasive species of weaver finch introduced from England just like Starlings. They displace our native cavity nesting birds like Eastern and Western Bluebirds - killing adults and brood in the nest, along with Purple Martins and other swallow species. They are not a protected species, and as a wild bird enthusiast, we're encouraged to try and manage the population in any manner possible.
I've used a repeating sparrow trap with good success the past several seasons, however, squirrels and blue jays often rob the trap of feed before I can trap any house sparrows. It's gotten to the point I can no longer use the trap as they are stealing feed faster than I can keep it loaded, so I'm turning to my PB family of inventive DIY experts for a solution.
I would like ideas on how to utilize electricity to euthanize birds either at a feeder or bird bath location. I'd need the option of turning the electricity on with a switch indoors so I don't harm any other species of birds. Maybe a broomstick with two wires running the length, which could be screwed into a floodlight socket outside the home run by an interior switch? When the birds land on the wires, which would have some kind of bait suspended above it, their feet would complete the circuit once I flipped on the switch and they'd be euthanized. I know absolutely nothing about electricity so not sure if this is a sound design or not. Could one electrify a feeder tray made of copper or aluminum and filled with preferred sparrow feed and activated from indoors somehow?
Looking for any ideas here - these vermin are out of control and I'm out of options. My native birds are suffering...need your help.
I personally think feeding birds at all is not a good idea. It creates a larger population that end up depending on the feed. On top of that the more birds you feed the more will hang around and crap all over everything. Jut my opinion of course.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Can you put corn out to distract the squirrels away from your sparrow trap? To me trapping seems like your best option, either you need a better trap or a new way of setting up the one you have. I am skeptical that you can find a way to electrocute sparrows effectively. HOW DO BIRDS SIT ON HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER LINES WITHOUT GETTING ELECTROCUTED?
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It would be interesting.
Last edited by JKB; 01/29/15 09:35 PM.
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