University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln The aH ndbook: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for Damage

1-1-1994 HOUSE SPARROWS William D. Fitzwater Director, New Mexico Outdoor Communicators, 7104 Bellrose Avenue, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

Fitzwater, William D., "HOUSE SPARROWS" (1994). The Handbook: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Paper 71. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdmhandbook/71

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in The aH ndbook: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. William D. Fitzwater Director New Mexico Outdoor HOUSE SPARROWS Communicators 7104 Bellrose Avenue, NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

Fig. 1. House sparrow, domesticus. Male (left) and female (right).

Damage Prevention and Repellents Identification Control Methods Capsicum. The house or English sparrow (Fig. 1) Polybutenes. Exclusion is a brown, chunky about 5 3/4 Sharp metal projections (Nixalite® and inches (15 cm) long, and very common Block entrances larger than 3/4 inch Claw®). in human-made habitats. The male has (2 cm). a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, a Toxicants Design new buildings or alter old ones chestnut mantle around the gray to eliminate roosting and nesting Fenthion in Rid-A-Bird® toxic perches. crown, and chestnut-colored feathers on the upper wings. The female and places. Trapping young are difficult to distinguish from Install plastic bird netting or overhead Funnel, automatic, and triggered traps. some native sparrows. They have a lines to protect high-value crops. plain, dingy-gray breast, a distinct, Mist nets. Cultural Methods buffy eye stripe, and a streaked back. Shooting Remove roosting sites. The black bib and chestnut-colored feathers on the wings are the first signs Air guns and small firearms. Plant bird resistant varieties. of male and appear on the Frightening Dust shot and BB caps. young within weeks of leaving the nest. Fireworks, alarm calls, exploders. Other Methods Scarecrows, motorized , bal- Nest destruction. loons, kites. Predators. 4-Aminopyridine (Avitrol®).

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE — 1994 Cooperative Extension Division Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska - Lincoln United States Department of Agriculture and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Damage Control E-101 Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee Range House sparrows are aggressive and unsanitary, and odoriferous situations social, both of which increases their inside and outside of buildings and The house sparrow was first intro- ability to compete with most native sidewalks under roosting areas. Dam- duced in Brooklyn, New York, from birds. Sparrows do not migrate. Stud- age can also be caused by the pecking England in 1850 and has spread ies have shown that 90% of the adults of rigid foam insulation inside build- throughout the continent. will stay within a radius of 1 1/4 miles ings. The bulky, flammable nests of (2 km) during the nesting period. house sparrows are a potential fire Habitat Exceptions occur when the young set hazard. The chattering of the flock on a up new territories. Flocks of juveniles roost is an annoyance to nearby The house sparrow is found in nearly and nonbreeding adults will move 4 to human residents. every habitat except dense forest, 5 miles (6 to 8 km) from nesting sites to Nestlings are primarily fed , alpine, and environments. It seasonal feeding areas. some of which are beneficial and some prefers human-altered habitats, par- Mortality is highest during the first harmful to humans. Adult house spar- ticularly farm areas. While still the year of life. Few sparrows survive in rows compete with native, insectivo- most common bird in most urban the wild past their fifth season. One rous birds. Martins and , in areas, house sparrow numbers have individual, however, lived in captivity particular, have been crowded out by fallen significantly since they peaked in for 23 years. While house sparrows are sparrows that drive them away and the 1920s, when food and wastes from tolerant of disturbance by humans, destroy their and young. House horses furnished an unlimited supply they can in no way be considered sparrows generally compete with of food. tame. Their success lies in their ability native for favored nest sites. Food Habits to exploit new habitats, particularly those influenced by humans. Legal Status House sparrows are primarily grani- Damage The house sparrow is afforded no legal vorous. Plant materials (grain, fruit, protection by federal statutes because seeds, and garden plants) make up House sparrows consume grains in it is an . A few 96% of the adult diet. The remainder fields and in storage. They do not states, however, may offer them some consists of insects, , and move great distances into grain fields, protection by requiring permits or other animal matter. Nestlings, how- preferring to stay close to the shelter of otherwise restricting control activities. ever, are fed mostly animal matter. hedgerows. Localized damage can be Check with state or local governments Garbage, bread crumbs, and refuse considerable since sparrows often feed before poisoning or shooting house from fast-food restaurants can support in large numbers over a small area. sparrows. sparrow populations in urban habitats. Sparrows damage crops by pecking seeds, seedlings, buds, flowers, vege- Damage Prevention and General Biology, tables, and maturing fruits. They inter- Control Methods Reproduction, and fere with the production of livestock, Exclusion Behavior particularly poultry, by consuming and contaminating feed. Because they Close all openings over 3/4 inch (2 cm) live in such close association with Breeding can occur in any month but is to exclude house sparrows from build- humans, they are a factor in the dis- most common from March through ings. Replace the glass in broken win- semination of diseases (chlamydiosis, August. The male usually selects a nest dows or cover them with plywood or coccidiosis, erysipeloid, Newcastle’s, site and controls a territory centered wire mesh. Block openings, like bell parathypoid, pullorum, salmonellosis, around it. Nests are bulky, roofed towers, with poultry mesh no larger transmissible gastroenteritis, tubercu- affairs, built haphazardly and without than 3/4 inch (2 cm). Warehouse door- losis, various encephalitis viruses, the good workmanship displayed by ways that must accommodate human vibriosis, and yersinosis), internal other weaver finches, the group to traffic can sometimes be effectively parasites (acariasis, schistosomiasis, which the house sparrow belongs. blocked by hanging a flexible wall of taeniasis, toxoplasmosis, and tricho- Sparrows are loosely monogamous. 4- to 6-inch (10- to 15-cm) plastic strips moniasis), and household pests (bed Both sexes feed and take care of the in front of the opening. These will not bugs, carpet , clothes moths, young, although the female does most seriously impede human movements fleas, lice, , and ). of the brooding. From 3 to 7 eggs are yet present an impassable barrier to laid, 4 to 5 being the most typical. In grain storage facilities, fecal con- sparrows. Poultry houses and feeders Incubation takes 10 to 14 days, and the tamination probably results in as much should be screened to exclude young stay in the nest for about 15 monetary loss as does the actual con- sparrows. days. They may still be fed by the sumption of grain. House sparrow Attach signs flat against buildings to adults for another 2 weeks after leav- droppings and feathers create janito- avoid providing roosting sites. Screen ing the nest. rial problems as well as hazardous, or block spaces between existing signs

E-102 and buildings. Install slanted metal, House sparrows cannot use bird period. Of the “scarecrow” devices, plexiglass, or wooden boards (>45o houses with openings 1 1/8 inches or kites, balloons, and simulated bird of angle) over ledges, such as those under less (2.8 cm); this size can be used only prey forms that circle above are the shopping mall overhangs or on old by wrens. Sparrows are attracted to most useful. Sparrows can be fright- buildings, so sparrows cannot roost or and often colonize martin apartment ened temporarily by mylar tape or nest on them. Eaves should be houses if they are left unattended. shimmering foil strips. Alternate the screened if the birds are able to Martin houses should be placed on tall use of several audio and visual fright- squeeze into them. Block the spaces poles in an unobstructed air space nec- ening devices for best control. between window air conditioners and essary for their aerial acrobatics. Block 4-Aminopyridine (Avitrol®) is regis- buildings to keep sparrows out. If pos- the entrances to martin houses until tered as a chemical frightening agent sible, place fine mesh over architec- martin scouts appear in spring, back because the affected birds react so vio- tural decorations on old buildings to from their winter feeding grounds. lently to it that the remainder of the prevent roosting. It is much more Lower and clean the houses at the end flock is frightened out of the treated effective, however, to work with archi- of the breeding season. Bluebirds can area. Usually large numbers of spar- tects on building designs that eliminate be encouraged with nest boxes that rows die before the repellent effect is ornamental patterns and holes that have 1 1/2-inch (3.8-cm) entrance achieved. provide nest sites for sparrows. holes and a 3 1/2-inch (9-cm) hole bored in the roof, covered with 1/2- Prevent house sparrows from roosting Repellents inch (1.3-cm) mesh. Bluebirds appar- on ivy-covered walls by stringing plas- ently can withstand wetting, but the Spread tactile repellents such as sticky tic bird netting (green or black) over sparrows like a tight roof overhead. bird glues on ledges to prevent roost- the vines. While not as satisfactory as ing. These polybutenes are reasonably removing the shrubbery, the mesh Cultural Methods effective for periods of 1 year or more. generally blends in with the plants and They are messy and should be placed Destruction of roosting and nesting still prevents the birds from roosting on tape or sealed masonry surfaces so sites is one approach to solving a spar- and nesting in them. Place netting in they can be removed. They lose their row problem. Total removal of shrubs front of ventilator openings to keep tackiness after they become hardened or even trees is an effective but birds out of buildings. Examine venti- by changing weather or covered by extreme measure. In rural areas, re- lators, vents, air conditioners, building dust. signs, ledges, eaves, overhangs, orna- moval of hedgerows adjacent to crop mental openings, and ornate designs fields will limit the attractiveness of More expensive, but longer lasting for potential and existing bird usage the area to house sparrows, but will than chemicals, are sharp metal projec- and eliminate those sites where also have a negative effect on other tions such as Nixalite® and Cat Claw®. practical. wildlife. Remove dead fronds from These sharp metal projections prevent palm trees to eliminate roosting sites. the birds from roosting comfortably in Protect small crop areas with plastic an area. Sparrows can roost on ledges Several varieties of small grains are bird netting in situations involving only 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) wide. There- resistant to bird damage. Some sor- high-value crops, such as grapes, ber- fore, ledges and other niches must be ghum varieties have a high tannin con- ries, or experimental grains. This completely covered. Placing monofila- tent in the early growth stages. Others approach can be economical if netting ment lines at 1- to 2-foot (0.3- to 0.6-m) have loose seed heads, on which spar- is used for several years to protect the intervals may help to repel house rows are unable to perch and feed. site. Leave no openings at the bottom sparrows from roosting sites. Electri- of netted crop areas. Sparrows that get Frightening fied wires strung over roost sites have into fields through such openings and been effective, but it is an expensive No truly successful alarm or distress are unable to find their way out can alternative. cause considerable damage. calls have been found for house spar- rows. Frightening devices designed for Granular formulations of capsicum are House sparrows can be discouraged at other species (fireworks, shell crackers, federally registered for repelling spar- bird feeders by installing vertical acetylene exploders, and cymbals) will rows from certain fruits, vegetables, monofilament lines at 2-foot (0.6-m) move sparrows from an area for a and grain crops. Read the product intervals around the feeders. Studies short period. Sparrows, however, label for specific information. have shown that many other species of adapt quickly to frightening devices birds are not affected. Electric wires and will not be repelled by sounds for Toxicants can be installed on perches of feeders any great length of time unless the Fenthion is the only toxicant registered to shock house sparrows when they sounds are diversified and their loca- for controlling house sparrows. It is land. This requires watching the feeder tions shifted periodically. applied by using Rid-A-Bird® perches. so the current can be activated only These metal perches have a wick in the when house sparrows are attempting Visual frightening devices can be help- center that delivers the liquid toxicant to feed. ful in some areas where crops are sus- ceptible to damage for only a short to the feet of birds as they perch. The

E-103 habits of the birds in individual situa- final catch is probably greater as it is long insulated pole with a hook tions must be studied to determine almost impossible for the sparrows to attached to one end to remove nests the most effective placement of the escape. that are located in high places. Nest perches. This is an effective and rea- destruction is also recommended in Triggered Traps. These traps are sonably selective method when used shopping malls and around building limited by the number of house inside buildings. Use extreme care to signs in urban areas. The nesting sparrows they can catch at one time avoid spillage of the toxicant. Fenthion materials should be collected and (Fig. 4). In some cases the traps are not can be absorbed through the skin, so removed to make it harder for the automatic and consequently require a applicators must be aware of the toxic- birds to find materials for new nests. watcher to tend them and spring them ity hazards. at the proper moment. The “clap trap” Predators. and sparrows are State pesticide registrations vary. is one of the oldest bird traps, used both abundant in the same human- Check with your local extension or first by ancient Egyptians. altered habitat. A study in one English USDA-APHIS-ADC office for informa- village found house cats reduced a Mist Nets. A final method of trapping tion on toxicant and repellent use in resident house sparrow population by is to entangle flying house sparrows in your area. 80% during a year. One farmer has a fine net known as a mist net. Mist devised a system using predation to There are no fumigants registered for nets are placed across the flight paths control house sparrows by building use against sparrows. of the birds in front of a dark back- catwalks around the inside of his barn ground. The nets cannot be seen until at rafter level. Scrap lumber was used Trapping the birds blunder into them, become to provide his farm cats access to loca- entangled, and are unable to extricate Trapping is probably the most widely tions where sparrows usually roosted themselves. Mist nets also require con- used method in attempting to reduce or nested. Once the cats were able to siderable amount of time to set up and house sparrow populations in a small patrol the barn, the sparrows quickly tend, and they are illegal in some area. As most bird traps normally are vacated the building. live traps, nontarget species can be re- states. Federal permits are required for leased unharmed. There are more trapping birds in mist nets. Nontarget types of traps available for sparrows species may be captured and must be Economics of Damage than for any other bird. Sparrows that removed and released immediately. and Control have been trapped once often become Shooting trap-shy. Therefore, traps alone are in- Barrows (1889) published the results of sufficient to remove an entire sparrow Shooting with air guns or low- a US Department of Agriculture sur- population. powered firearms can be used with vey concerning the status of house some success where local ordinances Funnel Traps. These are the most sparrows in 1886, about 35 years after permit. Sparrows quickly become commonly used traps available (Fig. their successful introduction. By this wary of a human holding anything 2). While funnel traps are probably the time, house sparrows were recognized resembling a firearm, so shooting from most easily entered of any trap, spar- as a detriment to agriculture and a blind is recommended whenever rows can also escape from them with native birds. Kalmbach (1940) ana- possible. An old method is to place relative ease. Thus, they should be lyzed 8,004 sparrow stomachs and grain in a windrow and shoot into a checked frequently and the birds found that only 20% of the foods (pri- baited flock with an open-choke shot- removed. Where possible, decoy indi- marily insects) taken by adult spar- gun. Special ammunition known as viduals should be penned in separate rows were beneficial to humans, 25% “dust shot” (a .22 long rifle shell filled compartments inside these traps were of neutral importance, and 55% with No. 10 shot) or “BB caps” (a lead were definitely detrimental to human Automatic Traps. These are counter- slug in a short .22 shell) are available. interests. While 59% of nestling foods balanced multicatch traps (Fig. 3). The effective range of these specialized were beneficial to humans and only House sparrows enter a compartment tools, however, is extremely limited. 28% injurious, he pointed out that their alone to feed on bait that is placed on a impact lasted for only 10 to 12 days. shelf in the trap. Their weight causes Other Methods an “elevator” to drop to the lower A recent survey of bird problems Nest Destruction. Discourage house level where the bird “escapes” into a across the United States indicated that sparrows from using an area by closed cage. Without the bird’s weight, 25% of the respondents in cities had removing nests and destroying the the counterbalanced “elevator” springs problems with house sparrows, behind eggs and/or young. House sparrows back into the original position ready pigeons (71%), blackbirds (54%), and are very persistent, so this operation for another passenger. It is more diffi- starlings (42%) (Fitzwater 1988). Exten- must be repeated at 2-week intervals cult to entice the birds into this of sive measures with traps are not cost- throughout the breeding season. Use a trap than into the funnel traps, but the effective.

E-104 National live trap Vail trap

Side view

Side view Side view

Modified Australian crow trap

Birds drop to bait through holes or slots in trap throat

Eclipse sparrow trap (European)

US Fish and Wildlife Service funnel trap plan

Side view

Fig. 2. Funnel traps

E-105 Havahart elevator trap

Holding cage

Elevator door drops with sparrow’s weight from bait ledge to door leading into holding Bait Counterbalance cage. When sparrow enters cage, counter- balanced elevator swings back up to previous position.

One-way door

Last Perch trap

Perch drops bird into cage

Tesch nest box trap

Holding compartment

Compartment drops bird into bag

Fig. 3. Automatic traps

E-106 Clap trap Sieve trap

Trigger string

Two nets overlap

Trio trap

Spring

Trigger rope pulls both nets together

Trigger

Trigger Decoy ring cage

Nest box trap Bait pan

Trigger string

Fig. 4. Triggered traps

E-107 Acknowledgments Kessler, K. K., R. J. Johnson, and K. M. Eskridge. 1991. Lines to selectively repel house sparrows from backyard feeders. Proc. Great Figure 1 by Emily Oseas Routman. Plains Wildl. Damage Control Workshop. 10:79-80. Figures 2 through 4 by the author, adapted by Jill Sack Johnson. Neff, J. A. 1937. Procedure and methods in controlling birds injurious to crops in . Part II: Control methods. Mimeo, For Additional US Dep. Agric. and California State Dep. Information Agric., Sacramento. 153 pp. Royall, W. C., Jr. 1969. Trapping house sparrows to protect experimental grain crops. US Dep. Barrows, W. B. 1889. The English sparrow Inter. Bureau Sport Fish. Wildl., Wildl. (Passer domesticus) in North America. US Leaflet 484, Washington, DC. 10 pp. Dep. Agric., Div. Econ. Ornith. ., Bull. No. 1, Washington, DC. 405 pp. Stokes, D. W. 1979. A guide to the behavior of common birds. Little, Brown and Co., Bent, A. C. 1958. Life histories of North Boston. 336 pp. American blackbirds, orioles, tanagers, and allies. US Natl. Museum Bull. 211, Summers-Smith, D. 1963. The house sparrow. Washington, DC. pp. 1-27. Collins, London. 269 pp. Churcher, P. B., and J. H. Lawton. 1987. Thearle, R. J. P. 1968. Urban bird problem. Pages Predation by domestic cats in an English 181-197 in R.K. Murton and E.N. Wright, eds. village. J. Zool. (London) 212:439-455. The problems of birds as pests. Academic Press. New York. Dearborn, N. 1927. The English sparrow as a pest. US Dep. Agric. Farmer’s Bull. 493, Weber, W. J. 1979. Health hazards from pigeons, Washington, DC. 22 pp. starlings and English sparrows. Thomson Publ., Fresno, California. 138 pp. Fitzwater, W. D. 1982. Outwitting the house sparrow [Passer domesticus (Linneaus)]. Proc. Wright, E. N., I. R. Inglis, and C. J. Feare, 1980. Great Plains Wildl. Damage Control Bird problems in agriculture. The British Workshop 5:244-251. Crop Protect. Council, Croydon, United Kingdom. 210 pp. Fitzwater, W. D. 1988. Solutions to urban bird problems. Proc. Vertebr. Pest Conf. 13:254-259. Grussing, Don. 1980. How to control house sparrows. Roseville Publ. House, Roseville, Editors Minnesota. 52 pp. Scott E. Hygnstrom Robert M. Timm Kalmbach, E. R. 1940. Economic status of the Gary E. Larson English sparrow in the United States. US Dep. Agric. Tech. Bull. 711, Washington, DC. 66 pp.

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