# What's with all the sparrows



## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

I can't believe the sparrows in my feeders this year. They are in everyone of my feeders, seed feeders, suet cakes, ground feeders. I'm tired of seeing them. Another thing, I haven't seen a cardinal or a blue jay this winter. I saw them all summer, but not now, what's up with that? All I'm seeing his year are the sparrows, black capped chickadees, several different woodpeckers, and juncos. oh yea, two white breasted nuthatches.


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## 2Lungs (Mar 18, 2008)

Google "Sparrow Halo." I made one a few years ago and they seem to work. Theres a thread about this alitte ways down from your thread.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

I'm going to make one today, and see if it works.


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

I made an improvised halo and it worked great for a couple of days! The House Sparrows did get used to it after awhile and they do hit the feeders some but most of them stay on the ground under the feeders. They used to clean out the hopper feeder in 24 hrs but now I only have to refill the hopper feeder after 4 days or so so it does work!! oh and for the most part they stay off the finch feeders and suet cage!!I also stopped buying cheap wild bird food mixes or any food with cracked corn in it and fill the hopper with only black oil and striped sunflower seeds and safflower seeds.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

After some serious .177 sparrow and starling control, you will start to see more indigenous song birds. We have far more finches around here than I ever thought possible.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

UNCLE AL said:


> I'm going to make one today, and see if it works.


I put the halo up and it works. There's not a bird in sight. Of course it was getting dark when I put it on the feeder, have to wait till it's light this morning to see what happens.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

This is what I used for a halo, don't know if the pic will show it but I put some fish line with split shot sinkers on the end to keep them hanging straight. It has worked well, only the chickadees are using the feeder now. I took it down after I took the pic to see if the sparrows would come back, so will update later.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

UNCLE AL said:


> This is what I used for a halo, don't know if the pic will show it but I put some fish line with split shot sinkers on the end to keep them hanging straight. It has worked well, only the chickadees are using the feeder now. I took it down after I took the pic to see if the sparrows would come back, so will update later.


You must have exceptionally dumb sparrows, no seed reaching the ground?..


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## shanejo (Oct 28, 2011)

They come in swarms to my feeders. Empty them out in a day. Gonna have to try the halo.

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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

I must be lucky, I can count the number of sparrows I've seen lately on one hand. 

The Chickadee numbers are awesome


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

I took the halo down, and the sparrows came and ate everything in sight, so I filled the feeder again, put the halo back up and all I've seen since yesterday afternoon is chickadees, nuthatches, and juncos. and woodpeckers on the suet cakes


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Here's the recipe: An old extension cord, pizza pan, chicken wire, 6-8 pices of 1" pvc pipe for insulators, a handful of corn/seed. Be careful to be sure only E.H. Sparrows are in/on the device!


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

The sparrows are funny, I leave the halo up, and they don't come around, I take it down and they devour everything. I made an upside down suet feeder yesterday, don't know when the birds will find it but I'm sure they will. I put the halo back up so the sparrows will not be around.


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## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

We have been having mainly Blue Jays this winter. I don't mind sparrows, just keep those starlings away.


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## MIpikeGuy (May 27, 2011)

ESOX said:


> After some serious .177 sparrow and starling control, you will start to see more indigenous song birds. We have far more finches around here than I ever thought possible.


This is the way. 

I'm guessing they are house sparrows. House sparrows will push native species away and sometimes will kill native species. Get rid of the house sparrows and it takes no time for cardinals, blue jays, blue birds, etc to come back.

Michigan has an all year hunting season for house sparrows, they are not native.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

MIpikeGuy said:


> This is the way.
> 
> I'm guessing they are house sparrows. House sparrows will push native species away and sometimes will kill native species. Get rid of the house sparrows and it takes no time for cardinals, blue jays, blue birds, etc to come back.
> 
> that's funny because since putting up the halo, and not having the sparrows around I've had 3 pair of cardinals show up at the feeders.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

Got more cardinals now, there must be about 6 pair out here today. The males fight all the time. The females will all sit around the feeder and eat, but the males only eat one at a time. One will eat and another will fly in and the first one will leave, if it doesn't the second one will attack it. Lots of woodpeckers. I made an upside down suet feeder, and it's funny watching the birds use it. Took them awhile, but now they are used to it and come to it on the fly.


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## MIpikeGuy (May 27, 2011)

Amazing the color of cardinals this time of year, very very vibrant!


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

I have one of these when the sparrows get into my chicken feed.

http://www.sparrowtraps.net/

Works great.


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