How to Save Your Bluebirds | What to Do About Invasive House Sparrows

Bluebird populations had been in decline with the rise of the non native house sparrow in the United States. House sparrows take the bluebird nest sites, destroy bluebird eggs, and kill the bluebird adults if they can catch them on the nest. Through people putting up nest boxes for the bluebirds, their populations are now recovering. But the house sparrow remains a threat.
This video is about identification of the bluebird species in your region, as well as the house sparrow. I review the bluebird nest boxes we have, and show methods of house sparrow control we are using in our own yard after a male house sparrow killed our adult male bluebird this breeding season.
Links:
-for more comprehensive information on providing safe bluebird nest sites in your yard, as well as troubleshooting problems, visit www.sialis.org
-bird identification pictures from www.allaboutbi...
-bird range maps from birdsoftheworl...
-type of nest box we use songbirdessent...
-live house sparrow trap we use vanerttraps.com

[@pigeonboi6577]

for the people who dont get why were killing house sparrows: imagine a robber broke into your house killed your kids and your entire family then moved in. Now imagine this on a larger scale until there are no more familys in houses but instead are replaced with cruel robbers ready to do more crime. That is how the house sparrow do.

[@bobstone6066]

basically yes

[@recorr]

People that dont understand why killing birds know now they have to live in society with people able to argue like you did.

[@ostrava6315]

I get that but what was the point of making eggs infertile and then putting them back?

[@recorr]

@@geniusmarcsays2434 Great. An other good reason to kill something

[@craigdylan3953]

@@ostrava6315 So the sparrows will not reproduce. The are invasive species and out compete and kill off the Bluebird population. Someone unfortunately let a group of them, and Starlings go in Central Park in the 1800's. Starlings and House Sparrows are like feral cats. You want to keep them from reproducing, any way you can. The only two birds you can trap and kill without a license. They are not just cute and harmless things; they really destroy the balance of nature here in the USA.

[@Greg_M1]

Thanks for the good information and perspective.

[@TheDotDetective]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I had two boxes out and didn’t know to what extent House Sparrows are a threat. With team work, two Bluebird couples and I chased a male House Sparrow away. I wish I had recorded the battle, but it took us two days to win the battle. Happily, I now have two houses with Bluebird nests.

[@primesspct2]

wow really?? I have tried this myself, with no success at all. But the male bluebird, as is common didn't help at all, he was a pacifist. Good for you! I currently have my best BB house blocked off, every time i try unblocking it that dern sparrow is back! This method has been successful for me in the past though. How did you run him off if i may ask?

[@johnnyut100]

Thanks for your informative video. I noticed that you had seed in your feeders - this can attract house sparrows to your yard. So now they don't have to travel far for food and the nestbox is a bonus. I don't feed bird seed in the summer breeding season, it often attracts unwanted birds like house sparrows, starlings and grackles. Here in Canada, I only feed mealworms to bluebirds (to adults and babies) when the weather is cold, rainy (or snowy). FYI - House wrens also compete with bluebirds and tree swallows for nestboxes. Monitor your nestboxes as often as possible. Thank you.

[@janetrauger8449]

good stuff to know. I was aware of the danger of house sparrows and I do monitor the nestbox I have. There are 3 eggs so far in the nestbox. 4/20/23. Love watching them.

[@notsohandytim5090]

So, you’re raising sparrows?

[@isaaco5679]

I have feeders and I will just give them a high velocity lead supplement when they land. It seems like I've put a dent in them. I've got more finches and junkos now.

[@iship9705]

I just cleaned out a Starling nest from my house, witch had 5 Baby's in it, All Sparrows and Starlings must go

[@hawkpilot6-actual]

Hello, I appreciate all information about bluebirds! Thank you for making the video… Short piece of advice, not everyone is able to sit and watch the video without doing other things around the house while the video is playing, and therefore, if you don’t mind, you could read everything that you have typed out.

[@martylesnick2032]

I REMOVED THE START OF A JACK SPARROW (HOUSE) NEST IN OUR BB BOX ALREADY AND I FOUND A DEAD BLUEBIRD FEMALE A FEW DAYS LATER, I COULD TELL SHE HAS BEEN ATTACKED. HATE THOSE SPARROWS!!!! Susan

[@CFITOMAHAWK]

Jack Sparrow.. Good name for pirate robbers..

[@MrCuckoobox]

Sparrows are like roaches, mice, rats and squirrels....... Just exterminate them......They breed so quickly there will always be more. The Idea is to bring down the population and keep it to minimum. When the breeding season is over - buy or build an "Elevator Trap" for the Sparrows and you can lower the local population. It appears that Taryn lives in area where there is farming, see that from her back yard and corn growing. With grains growing, there are sparrows to be found.

[@notsohandytim5090]

MrCuckoobox: Multiply that by 10 for residential areas with bird feeders whose owners think a bird is just a bird.

[@katiejo711]

I have an elevator trap trap for three years. I got a couple hundred a year. They still went after my bluebirds. Darn varmints

[@MrCuckoobox]

@@katiejo711 Wow.... You go! That is crazy. Keep it up. It just shows how quickly they multiply. You probably have strip malls not too far away, that are "Feeding" your trap.

[@linedog6186]

Thanks for sharing this with us. Great information!

[@pchew29williams86]

Researching now as Sparrows sadly just took over my bluebird box yesterday. I never knew this was a thing. I’m devastated!

[@donnaprissymae9063]

I'm so sorry that happened, I just learned about sparrows a few weeks ago,only because I started watching alot of bluebird videos... I haven't had a problem yet and hope I don't... I wish you the best

[@jacq8921]

Thank you so much for this video ! At first I thought the sparrows mistakenly laid an egg in our western bluebird nesting box until I started researching. We have nestlings in the western bluebird box and the sparrows are trying to get inside as we speak I'm throwing rocks

[@iship9705]

Great video , I will be watching

[@phiddler1]

damn sparrows harassing my swallows now i cant sleep

[@williamjaeger5940]

Enjoyed the video! I trap and shoot ehs and starlings! By far the sparrows are the most wary once they know they're being targeted! I use .25 and .22 cal pcp air rifle! Very accurate and not that loud!

[@jameslomenzo1139]

Right on, keep up the good work.

[@Sparky-vu2ej]

I quit feeding birds when winter is over. Live in the country and the sparrows tend to leave when the grain and sunflowers are gone. Will sneak out by the feeders in the winter when the sparrows are on the ground give it to them with the 12 gauge shotgun. Yes I have had sparrow problems in the blue bird houses. They get the 12 gauge also if they are nesting in a box.

[@crmark21]

I've caught many with the Repeating Elevator Trap..

[@jackielovell5315]

Thank you for letting me know this. The sparrows took over my eastern bluebird house as soon as I put it out. I hang gourds up under my porch and the bluebirds nested in it and have successfully had their babies. Thanks again. I now no what to do.

[@jackielovell5315]

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the bluebird house. They nested in it the last 3 years! I love watching them hatch their eggs! This year I’ve been fighting to keep the sparrows out of it! Finally the bluebirds started nesting in it and while I was gone a male sparrow killed the female! I’m so upset! Should I take out the dead female and leave the box door open so the sparrows cannot nest in it? Help!

[@gregsmith3410]

Van ert trap works wonders!!

[@notsohandytim5090]

For 3 years previous to now, my nest boxes belonged to bluebirds & swallows. This year they all belong to sparrows. I took down the two that had active nests and placed them near the ground. Mom’s problem now.

[@kimkemeys9563]

When is the best time to clean the nest out of the blue bird box?

[@jameslomenzo1139]

When the bluebirds are done nesting, clean it out, there could be mites in there also bluebirds will come back to use the house.

[@JenniferHodsdon]

After breeding for the blue birds i take my box down so the sparrows dont nest.. then when i see mom and dad looking for the box the following season i put it out for them

[@karinecarde1254]

Thank you ❤ Liked & Subscribed. Hopefully, it helps your channel.

[@kimzchaos]

We can't protect blue birds old homes?

[@drochon6672]

I watched house sparrows, plucking feathers off of nearby nesting mourning doves for nesting material. This, to point the doves had featherless backs.

[@cazu2479]

I’ve never seen that stop the cap

[@lilbookarina89]

Loves birds but not when there pooping everywhere on fence i have a neighbor who puts a feeder out and oh boy they come in packs poop all over the fence and yard any advice on how to deter them my yards next to there’s

[@50guitar]

Invest in an external microphone for your video camera or phone. Had to jack the volume up to its max to hear this.

[@dominicspinelli4400]

This is what I have learned to about the house sparrow but trying to tell people i know its like what are you nuts get of you like i'm crazy lol

[@ostrava6315]

Im sorry if I missed this detail but what was the point in making the eggs infertile and putting them back. Why not just throw them out?

[@adriennelee6065]

It keeps the HOSP occupied with trying to hatch eggs that are "sterile", and theoretically slows them down and spend enough of their energy that they won't have the time or energy to hatch subsequent clutches.

[@michaelwells1783]

I Have A Sparrow Cookout At The End Of The Summer !!! Only Takes 5 Min On Grill To Cook One !!! There Claws Make Great Tooth Pics !!! NC Wild !!!

[@marlenalinne6100]

😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@danherrmann8755]

Thanks for video. I have put aluminum foil in the box shinny side to inside box. This keeps sparrows out. I have a lot of trouble with sparrows. I have let the sparrows nest in the box then rob the eggs. This will keep the population down. 20 to 21 eggs preseason last three years. Starlings have kept blue birds away to. Later.

[@lizcollins4998]

Do you think the aluminum foil would keep sparrows out of a bluebird feeder?

[@leewade4304]

I bought a bluebird box made from new wood, I made the mistake of painting the inside and outside with boiled linseed oil for protection of the wood. Finding out later that you should never use linseed oil on the inside. Any suggestions on what I could do if anything to be able attract bluebird’s in that box. They came by to check it out (male and female) but chose the regular bird house with a perch about 50 feet away. That house only got linseed oil on the outside, I know that house is not the right house for bluebirds. If I see house sparrows around that house I’ll take it down. I have utility lines going over the houses and the bluebirds love to set on the lines and feed on bugs and keep an eye on there wrong dwelling. Lol

[@MrCuckoobox]

You could try sanding the inside of the Birdbox out and get to the the bare wood........ I would mainly focus on the Inside Walls - do that first. After you are finish sanding, clean out with dishwashing soap, water and brush, let it dry. I have done a lot of experimenting with Bluebird boxes.....I designed and build my own based on what the Bluebird like and taking features from other Bluebird Boxes - Taking the Best Features, Longevity and Cost in consideration to build the best box and the lowest price. I found, I could seal the inside bottom and ceiling with Deck Sealant CFW- Flood (Cedar Color, waterbase, which I seal the outside with too) and the Bluebirds will build nests. The walls are bare rough cut wood. My boxes have slots (not a round hole) for the entrance, so there is a lot of ventilation. I have a clean out door, and I leave that off and let the Sealed Ceiling and Floor dry for 2 weeks in the Sun before putting the box up. My Logic is that the birds build on the nest on the floor and they don't go and the ceiling, so why would they be an issue. I only have one box up because our lot is small, but that box has a sealed floor and ceiling. I have Bluebirds in there now and they are build their second nest (I cleaned the box out after the first clutch left). I have had this box up for more than 5 years and the Bluebirds keep coming back.

[@karenselman7460]

So, my bluebirds built a nest in a backyard birdhouse. They were working for two weeks on the nest. I left my home for 5 days. Upon return I saw a sparrow flying in and out of the house. I rushed out and took the whole house down. There were no babies or eggs. I put up a blue bird house with a plexiglass circle On the top. I discarded the sparrow nest and transferred the bluebird nest to the new box placed on the same pole. The bluebirds returned, each going into the new house and then leaving. It’s been three days, and the bluebirds have not returned. Should I discard the bluebird nest, so they are free to build another one?

[@uhill74]

Van ert trap and a laundry bag.

[@gardeningjunkie2267]

This is a myth about sparrows not eating insects. They are prolific insect eaters in my garden. The problem is they eat many of the beneficial insects as well. I am trying to find a method of keeping them away from my gardens so the bees can pollinate in peace.

[@karenselman7460]

I did.

[@Nadia_Milkova]

Blue birds

[@michaelwells1783]

I Will BILLED YOU A HOUSE BEAUTIFUL !!!

[@recorr]

Ok you have good reasons to kill birds, but you never explain what is the human way to kill them once they are traped.

[@ke4ohb]

eat em

[@erikaerika7788]

Some put them in a pillocase and hit the concrete hard ..

[@shycat5905]

There's barely anything meat there 😀

[@twoangels3405]

Put them in a sock then whack on a hard surface. No blood No feather missing and easy to do.,double tap if you want but not necessary.

[@Bob-ir2bj]

I use an old pillowcase to put the sparrows in after I remove them from my trap. The bag is then placed in my deep freezer.

[@gregsmith3410]

So sloppy nest compared to bluebird

[@shycat5905]

Think of them as the stereotypical ghetto bird eating out of trash bins in urban streets corners. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@dominicspinelli4400]

Meant to say your nuts get out of here sorry

[@MariaGonzalez-gb9jd]

Let the nature be.

[@rranger1014]

Yet in nature the strong take the weak, still.

[@cazu2479]

@Anna S well ok, blame the people who did it not the birds don’t be stupid

[@shycat5905]

@@cazu2479 Bingo! People bring unknown birds here, now we blame the birds themselves 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@cavaliervillage]

Okay here's my opinion on The House Sparrows vs Bluebirds argument: Instead of killing House Sparrows, they should be captured and sent off back to England, for they are facing extinction there. And I think the government should subsidize that, after all they were part of the reason these non-native birds were here in the first place. There is no justification for killing House Sparrows. Most of you bluebird enthusiast would argue with me with the most ridiculous analogies to try to say that I'm wrong. You have the worst spiritual karma / wrath of God coming your way if you start killing sparrows, pigeons and any non-legally protected animals of your current government. I wouldn't be surprised if you bluebird enthusiasts find yourselves having a miscarriage or getting hit by a truck while buying your silly groceries at your local shop, and dying haha... Let nature be nature. If Sparrows kill Bluebirds and they reproduce more than them, then that's just how evolution of this planet works. You don't have the right to play GOD with these birds, specially since they can't fight back against you, cause you're a human and you are far more powerful than them. Wanna save Bluebirds? do it the right way. Write to your government, senators, etc. And make sure that Sparrows are sent back alive to their native home: England. Anyway, this comment I made here, but is not directed towards the uploader of this video. Even though the uploader girl is a pro-blue bird conservationist.

[@justmejo9008]

The sparrows are murdering across North America. I set up birdhouse a couple years ago in the chickadees I tried a nest in there are killed by these sparrows. If you had experience opening the boxes to see this horror you’d understand why something needs to be done. I could not murder sparrows myself but I will try to deter them from the nest boxes and remove their eggs from my yard. Sadly until everyone gets on board this issue will not be resolved. The government is not going to help. People have to stop expecting the government to do everything. We are all quite capable taken care of many things ourselves

[@litigioussociety4249]

Humans already played God or rather Satan when they accidentally brought house sparrows ro America. Removing the non-native species and helping reestablish the native species is trying to correct the wrongdoing. If people tried to eradicate Norway rats, German cockroaches, and fire ants from the Americas, then they would just be correcting a problem humans created, and none would complain.

[@justmejo9008]

Tell me this.. if you get a mouse, cockroach, ant invasion in your house 🏠 are you just going to move out and let them live there 🤔

[@jameslomenzo1139]

Hey Charles, house sparrows are not part of the ecosystem in America, man bought them over here and man has to control them. Your question sounds like a idiot, Google what house sparrows have done to our songbirds, busted brains, killed babies, building nest right over the dead birds. I will forever eliminate them.