How to Catch House Sparrows in a Repeating Elevator Trap 2019
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- Learn How to Catch House Sparrows in a Repeating Elevator Trap using an elevator trap, a shelter box, decoy sparrows, and white millet.
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@backyardbirds #rraphouseaparrows
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They look so sweet and fluffy like unassuming little birds. I never suspected they were bloodthirsty little psychopaths! (Lol)
It is hard to believe such a small bird can be so destructive.
@@BackyardBirdsUS yes I agree👍
They’re not bloodthirsty psychopaths. They’re sweet little birds. People kill them because they’re invasive species in some areas and prefer to have other birds go to their homemade nests. There’s no way anyone can abate all sparrows, as they’re a very successful species and there’s no national abatement program, so it’s ridiculous to try to eliminate all sparrows in one’s area. Chairman Mao also killed off as many sparrows as possible and that led to an insect infestation of epic proportions
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
That's all birds.
I put my trap up about a week ago and have caught and culled 12 sparrows. It's a drop in the bucket, but it's something!
Good for you. It's a start and making a difference. I'm glad you are doing this. Part yourself on the back.
@@BackyardBirdsUS Just checking back in. It's June 19th and I just euthanized my 30th sparrow. It was a male, which marked the milestone nicely.
That is awesome. Thanks
This may well be the single best video I've seen on encouraging native bird life via trapping invasives, I've seen many over the last 6 months. Thanks hombre.
Thank you. So good to hear. I try to make my videos clear and concise.
I'm trapping through the summer--I'm up to around 60 trapped. So summer trapping works in my experience.
Great news. Maybe I never had luck because I trapped most earlier.
I have my trap on the way. I appreciate this video and all the tips. I’m definitely going to modify my trap. I have had bluebirds in the past and am excited to see more native birds in my yard.
Excellent news. I wish you the best.
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
If you are wondering what to do with the sparrows you have caught contact a Licensed falconer who will gladly see that the sparrows you have caught do not go to waste.
Excellent advice.
That is awesome.
People who have snakes and certain lizards may buy them from you as well. Many people own arboreal snakes and they enjoy birds
They also would make good fertilizer and fishing flies.
I've been wondering what you do with them after they are trapped. Thanks for the information
I appreciate the deliberate and measured pace, plus the comprehensive description of your choices
I try to make useful videos with no fluff. Thank you.
I put linseed oil on mine, then a coat of shellac to seal it. So far, so good.
Thank you, thank you. I have an elevator trap, and will be modifying it immediately. My small farm has a new influx of HSp's. I have numerous nest boxes used by western bluebirds and tree swallows. I don't want the house sparrows predating the nest boxes. It's very depressing to open a nest box only to see the dead native swallow or bluebird chicks with their heads pecked out by the invasives. House sparrows are savvy and become trap shy easily, I have found, so my trapping success lately has been diminished. So, starting over.
Best to you. They are smart birds and we have to use every method we can to control them. Also check out the vanert trap for nest boxes. I love that you get western bluebirds. And you are helping them!
very successful in trapping sparrows. We have caught almost 40 already!! Thanks much for this trap!!
Ive caught 10 in a few days, good trap.
This is fantastic news. Doesn't it feel good to catch them and thin out the population. The native birds just don't have a chance against that many house sparrows.
so are you hypocrite, If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, right remember, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see, remember them when you die
The first time when I watched this video,my sparrow count was zero. Second time, (about a month later) I’ve caught nine! The best part is it was a simple box, string, and a stick! I’d sit out there for hours, the second they’re under the box, pull the string! Im going out tomorrow super early to get a head start before they’re awake!
I caught 1 HOSP, and then had 10 in a few days. Clipped wings so the local Sharp shinned and Coopers Hawks have food.
Too many Starlings this season. Need another trap for them.
It's been a good summer of Catching HOSP.
Left 2 in the trap this am.
Now 3. The numbers keep growing
Fantastic news. Thanks for sharing!
Sorry to ask....what is a HOSP?
@@raybin6873 HOuse SParrow
There are 6 in my trap now 1 female. A couple dead ones left on the ground , they layed there for a day or so then were gone. Cats dont care for dead ones, some other critter I assume.
@@danielebarello5696 Oh...ok! Learn something new everyday....thanks😁👍!
This is one of the best teaching videos I’ve ever seen. Well done!
Thank you so much. I make an effort to make quality useful videos.
Every Home Depot and Lowes should be using these traps, the garden area and lumber canopy always seem to be infested with HOSPs.
They sometimes come in the stores too. I saw a starling in a grocery store once.
That's funny you should say that, because I got in a conversation last year with a garden center employee at HD after mentioning the HOSPs (and what terrible birds they are!) above our head. He said, "is that what those are? Our managers have been looking for a way to get rid of them because they're pooping on customers and making their nests in the ceiling beams." I whipped out my phone and introduced him to the Repeating Sparrow Trap! He said, "thank you so much, I'm going to show my managers this!"
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane That would be great if they would. But, they would have to do it in "Stealth Mode" - In the back and/or after store hours and then taken to a remote location to be euthanized ......There are "Extreme Animal Lovers" that believe "No Animal should be harmed"....... If a "Customer" or "Employee", who is a "Vocal Extreme Animal Lover" "catches wind" of what is going on, "the Organization" could have a "Huge PR Issue."
@@MrCuckoobox You're probably very right!
They help rid garden centers of worse pests like insects
i put a hole in top of a homemade wire cage came home after work like 5- 10 sparrows inside it 👍 😼thanks
Australia 🦘🐨🌳 The indian Minor bird are a pest they Found putting mirrors inside traps caught so many more , they kept native species🦜 from breeding around parks
they caught about 80,000+ Minor over 2 years 👍 not long after 1-2 years the local birds came back & are breeding again
Home made wire cage means picture there
Your statement shows how bad invasive species can be. Thank you..
Thank you for this video. Your shelter box is a terrific idea! Hopefully more people will start trapping these non-native birds. The more, the better! I’ve trapped dozens of HOSP (house sparrows) through the years but the elements have taken a toll on my repeating trap so I’ve either got to try and repair it or I’ll need to replace it.
I hear you. I put linseed oil on mine to make it last longer. I love linseed oil for preserving things.
so are you hypocrite, If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, right remember, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see, remember them when you die
They have the most annoying repetitive chirp that will screw into your brain until you can’t stand it. I have used this trap for years with great success. These are nice add ons. I catch in batches. Let them die. Then the cycle begins with locking the elevator up and letting the birds eat for a few days without setting the trap. This way they don’t become trap shy. Once I see they are feeding I release the elevator. Your idea is worth a try.
I have tried the same. Sometimes it seems to help. Sometimes some birds just don't want to enter. But patience generally pays off.
Update: 4 beautiful newly hatched bluebird chicks. 5 more house sparrows meet their maker in the trap. Fight on!
Michaela Solomon don’t worry you can hear them everywhere they have invaded. I choose not to have them on my farm and it gives all of our native birds a chance since the thugs are taken care of.
Michaela Solomon They murder other birds babies. They are not good citizens. If you have a band of killers invading the others need to be protected. They don’t view other birds lives as precious. Nature is not fair or pretty. Sometimes on the farm we have to do things that are unpleasant and that includes using lethal force to protect others. I would encourage you to visit any wildlife rehab center. Things are not always pretty when nature is involved. I would hope you would volunteer to help there and see how things work. Thank you for your concern for all life!
Your hilarious description of their chirping is spot on TRUTH! I positively cannot stand it either! 😩 🤣 (didn't know whether to laugh or cry there!)
Im in central SC and have a question. For the last 3 weeks, Ive caught nothing but females. Up to 7 in one day. Not one male. Ive caught around 15 males total, and at least 30 females total since February!
You are probably catching young birds. First year birds all look like females. But in their second year the makes get their black bib. So i will bet you are catching males that are young.
Now that i think about it. I think males are harder to catch on the winter but by spring they are in breeding mode and less cautious. So that could be it as well. They are a complicated bird to figure out!
That's my fear, bycatch- Thanks for the video! I always have a nesting bluebird pair and this year they weren't successful because of a starling. Lo and behold, I didn't even realize house sparrows were invasive! Time to clear the yard...
Good luck. You can make a difference.
I've had a lot of success catching House Sparrows with the Van Ert House Sparrow trap that you put in a Bluebird house if you see the sparrows trying to investigate/nest in it. You do have to monitor the nestbox closely as you wouldn't want to inadvertently trap a native bird and leave them in there a long time. It would cause them a lot of stress, so it's not a passive trap per say, but very easy to use, and if a native bird happens to go in the nestbox rather than a House Sparrow, it doesn't hurt them and you can just let them out. But the best practice is to quickly (they are amazingly smart and will watch you, so have the screw installed beforehand to make hanging the trap quick) put the trap in when you see the House Sparrows around the nestbox in the Spring. I can see my Bluebird house while sitting on my couch looking through the window (binoculars help see for sure who's going in the box!) and I can just run out there and quickly get the House Sparrows out of the nestbox using a large nylon laundry bag. Nips the problem in the bud in the Spring before they even get a chance to make more House Sparrows, especially the aggressive males! Good luck!
Great video. Thanks for making 👍
Luckily I recently got in touch with a local rehab center which is more than happy to take what house sparrows I can catch. In fact they said they will come and get them, they want them frozen. They first want me to have 50-100 before they will come and get them. At first they said trap 100 in 2 mo. , but said if I can get 50 in a couple months that would be fine.
My goal is to see how many I can trap between now and Aug. 1st now that I have someone who wants them. I will keep more dry seed option ready, trying to up the anty.
How many have you caught
Fantastic that you found a place to take them.
If my next door neighbor(s) use(s) millet in their feeding mix then this trap would be useless on my property? I’ll keep using nesting box traps. Thx for leading the effort to eliminate HOSP.
I agree. But the decoys attract them more than the food.
Hey Jeff I have a male and a female house sparrows. I caught theme in a squirrel trap.
Interesting. Good for you.
Thank you
Thanks
What kinds of bait work best for luring house sparrows to the trap??
Good question. I use cracked corn or white millet. I've heard of using white bread but my house sparrows hate it. Most important is not to offer food anywhere but at the trap.
What is the best bait for sparrows?Popcor,bread ,milet?...What is the best height for trap from ground?
Good question. It seems to depend on what they are used to eating. I use millet as I've had zero luck with bread or popcorn. I would experiment. Place all three outside the trap and see what they prefer.
As for height i like it at a height that is easy for me to manage. About waist height. San old card table works great and is easy to move.
Cracked corn is their favorite by far where I live.
I have had a trap out for over a week and haven’t got anything so far. The food inside the trap isn’t disappearing so I don’t think it’s a trap tuning issue. I have been feeding around and have stopped feeding millet everywhere but on the trap. Any tips. I was thinking about printing some sparrow decoys to put in the trap.
Unfortunately catching that first bird can be difficult. You could try moving the trap to different locations. Sometimes elevated on a table. Other times on the ground. If you have a nest box that is the best way to catch your first bird.
I just put in an order for an elevator trap. I'll try to make the holding box when it arrives.
There are a lot of starlings in my area, as well as some English sparrows. What do we do about starlings?
If you talk starlings you should euthanize them like you did the house sparrows. Good luck.
He just came out with directions on how to make a Starling funnel trap... easy and low cost solution!
I enjoy the chip
Thanks
You might get a kick out of the house sparrow-proof mealworm feeder I designed and crafted that's shown on my channel. Wildlife rehab facilities will often take in trapped house sparrows and feed them to raptor birds they may have at their facility.
That's a good use for house sparrows!
Is this the mealworm feeder video you've had out for a few years but which is not available for purchase?
@@stellabastoneintoronto955 As the video on my channel shows, it certainly works to exclude house sparrows. I appealed to most, if not all bird feeder producers with the idea, but none of them seemed interested in it. I also developed 2 dropping-proof birdseed feeder systems that functioned to better protect backyard birds from the disease threats bacteria-laced bird droppings on feeder surfaces pose to the health of garden birds, but it went nowhere either. It was a hard lesson learned that sound inventions don't necessarily translate to something that will make it to market.
@@BenSlover1 yeah I thought that might be the case. I've wondered if you can simply make/sell/ship the mealworm feeder yourself. Maybe if you get enough sales, the larger producers will be more willing to consider it.
@@BenSlover1 I agree with Stella. Get a patent and try making and selling them yourself! With the bird flu making headlines so much lately, that cleaner feeder you mentioned sounds like it would be a great thing to have! Help the birds and do it Ben, we'll be waiting!
I’ve got a sparrow trap.Benjamin Marauder .22 I call it. 😂
Glad you are getting them.
@@BackyardBirdsUS ,I’m getting some.Certainly do my part.PCP airguns make shooting them fun and easy,however,in the big scheme of their communal nature,they are elusive and are not the proverbial sitting duck most of the time.
That trap door mechanism is brilliant and effective. What a great trap. 👍
Yes it is. It really works
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
My first time in your vídeos and enjoyed them plus I registered to your channel, many interesting videos with all and different opinions.
I know how the sparrows even the cute ones ends feeders fast, always hungry and also demanding in bird houses.
I'm a nature lover, watching birds all together in my backyard, can't take predators birds like many Sparrows, reptiles, certain animals and some people but I let god creations be: 😮sharing, companions , happy, fighting, loving, caring each other. He gave us so much for all to appreciate and let them be free.
A world with all for all.
I do love your vídeos too, great to learn different ways to make our own decisions how to protect from others doing damages.
In my backyard I have all kind of birds together eating, enjoying and singing together.
Juncos, Cardinals, titmice, chickadee, woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, Nuthatch, red winged black birds, crow, mourning doves, white and house sparrows, red and American gold finch, starlings, blue jays, robins, plus the squirrels running after them and eating too.
I like them like that together and morning and evenings serenata. Thank You for sharing all your knowledge, many of us needs them.
🙏☝️
This was a great comment to read. Thank you for sharing. I'm glad you care so much.
I’m so excited I received my shelter box and my husband put it on for me .. I have a question what size L screw do I need to get to keep that little trap door shut? I just put a nail in it for tonight.
I use a construction screw. I found the L screw hard to use. There should be a construction screw included to use. A nail is a good idea though.
Why are you killing God's creatures?
@@josie4peace Because they're a threat to other creatures. Why would God object when He gave humans permission to kill animals? Genesis 9:1-3 "And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.'"
As of yesterday there was only one male house sparrow in my trap, then today I found a male h.s. trapped in the area where the weight is . This sparrow must have somehow gotten the entry flap up to get trapped in this area. I attempted to force him to go back thru the flap, wouldnt fall for it. So I finally captured him and put him back in the trap,, he is the only male in there now and yesterday so it was this bird . First bird Ive had be able to accomplish this trick.
Wow. Interesting. Glad you got him.
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
I despise these birds, where can I get this trap
Look in the video description for links.
i do love birds, but house sparrows i shoot with pleasure.
Oh you make me happy! They are extremely aggressive and destructive.
Why are you killing God's creatures?
Great suggestions, many thanks
My pleasure!
as an avid animal lover i had to find a way to justify the killing of these poor little birds. Turns out I am also the owner of 4 happy fully carnivorous ferrets. I ordered one of these traps and the sparrows will help subsidize the cost of their food greatly, plus add a lot of needed nutrition. (Ferret kibble is notoriously shit)
What an awesome idea. I love hearing about ingenious ideas like this. They really are a nutritious treat. The ferrets will be so happy.
Thank you for this excellent video! I just ordered my shelter box package from you and can't wait to get it installed on my trap. Maybe someday I can have a HOSP-free yard. Love your videos, please keep up the great work!
Thank you for the order. Thank you for the compliments. I'm glad i could help and best of luck to you in trapping.
Why are you killing God's creatures?
I just ordered mine!
It's shipping today. You should have it in 2 days.
All house sparrows and starling has to go! They kill my blue birds and purple martins!
You got that right!
Someone suggested to just use millet in the storage bin of the trap, didnt work so well for , but once I added a little cracked corn to the storage bin got some takers.
I've had luck with millet and cracked corn. Others like bread. Good to try everything.
Yep. I remove them when I see them in my yard. The swallows and martins are grateful (I think).
@@jasoneardley9311If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see
I have the trap, I will have to add the shelter. Great idea. Thanks
You won't be disappointed.
Where to buy the trap? Thanks.
My shelter box due to arrive today and as and also a sparrow just a few minutes ago tripped my birdhouse trap. It will be the first guy inside the cage,, what more could you ask.
Well missed that up for my first try did not get the bird in the elevator part and did not have the entrance hole blocked well enough and it escaped, I suppose Im not first one to let that happen.
Fantastic news
So the next house sparrow I trap with the birdhouse trap I will put it in the door of the elevator trap so I dont mess up again.
Be sure to clip the bird's wings because they can't escape from the elevator trap. And if they do they won't go far.
I have ordered mine...I will have to learn what a female house sparrow looks like...how would I get a non sparrow out without releasing the sparrows...?? and btw I cant wait to get ti...ty
Generally the house sparrows will go in the shelter box and you cover the hole. Then you can open the trap and let the non house sparrow fly free.
You have out a lot of thought and work into this trap. Obviously it has been successful. Thank you for sharing, and making this video.
I have built a repeating trap for starlings. It is mounted high and the I have had moderate success with it.
If you are into Purple Martins, this sparrow trap and a starling trap in a must. Thanks again.
Thank you for the comments and thank you for helping people understand that trapping is a must for the success of our native birds.
Why do you not use the trap during the summer months? Less success?
I tend not to just because it's so hot. And I'm doing other things.
I Used a Browning .22 caliber,T-bolt target rifle equipped with a high powered Leopol Scope. Worked great for me, but check with your local authorities before discharging firearms in your area.
English Sparrows, a non native highly invasive species, Pecked the eyes out of my new born baby Blue Birds. True story. The Males are very mean and did that. True story. Daniel
Thanks for sharing. People need to know!
So sad about your baby bluebirds 😥
Keep up the great work getting rid of those nasty House Sparrows! 👍
Only an american would use a rifle on a songbird... you people are crazy
How long does it take to catch one with an elevator trap. I've had mine up for 2 days and haven't caught one.
Is the elevator seesaw supposed to be level balanced with 2 quarters inside or should it drop to the bottom with 2 quarters used as a test weight? I lost my instructions and can't find any info online. I haven't used mine in over 2 years because I pretty much eradicated my sparrow problem and just used my nest box trap the past couple years. I'm seeing some at my feeders now and want to get them before my bluebirds start nesting.
It should fall too the bottom with the quarters and be level when nothing is in the elevator. Good luck.
@@BackyardBirdsUS it wouldn't work if it was level with nothing in it. The elevator has to be at the top so they can enter. It would be impossible for them to squeeze into it unless it was maybe a hummingbird. I set it so it drops to the bottom though.
You are correct. It should be at the top of nothing in it but at the bottom when a sparrow enters it.
Do you have a video on how to recalibrate the repeating house sparrow trap? The last few birds that have tried to enter just pop right back out. So I’m assuming I need to adjust some thing .. thanks for your help
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
You can use quarters to calibrate it. I just looked it up. Two quarters for house sparrows. Make it so it slowly drops down and stays. When bird exits through hole it should return to set position.
Thank yuoi for the video. Very helpful.
I'm so glad it helped
Hello Jeff,
I noticed the damage around the entrance hole of a couple of the nest-boxes in your video and was wondering why you aren't using a thin metal bluebird hole guard? I buy mine, but it looks like you have the tools and skills to make your own.
Thanks woodpecker damage. I'm not sure why i haven't used a hole guard. I probably need too. I keep learning that there are new challenges.
Why don't you use this trap during nesting season? Is it ineffective at that time? I was hoping to start using it soon (april 2021). The sparrows are outcompeting my barn swallows for their nests in coastal norhtern CA. I don't have any nest boxes, just barn swallow nests.
It will work then but to catch the nesters you should use a van ert. Best to use both.
Its 2022 and I just caught 3 more using this method.
I get a crazy amount of house finches and like zero house sparrows, what can I even do?
Quails even get in there before house finches!
Are you using white millet for bait? That's what i do.
I noticed your elevator arm is black (the one my neighbor has is white). Did you paint yours? Would the white color make sparrows more hesitant to jump on?
Mine is plastic. They used to be wood. I don't think color matters.
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
I have trapped sparrows for years now. I monitored a blue bird trails and they were the most frustrating nemesis ever. Now I have a Martin colony and again am fighting sparrows. I have success with my traps but am wondering why I seldom catch a male. I’m content with the numbers of females I get, (wish I could get them ALL) since they won’t be laying any future eggs, but just wonder if there is a reason the males seldom fall prey to my traps.
I think the females you catch are actually immature birds that are both male and female. I think the older birds become so smart and are hard to catch. You need to try a vest box trap. Then you will catch the adult male. Here is how... czcams.com/video/AT6sQDvJMNo/video.html
If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did
Just bought the trap a week ago. I placed it under my feeders and all activities stoped. It's been a week now and a few birds are now using the feeders but not one gos near the trap. I have seed in it like directions said. Nothing. What am I doing wrong? Need more time? Sparrows are everywhere in the yard so its not a lack of them
Bro, just shoot them down..
Be patient. The birds shy away from the trap because it's new to then. Try placing by cover and stop feeding in your feeders. Having a live decoy bird will help the most. Any progress?
Also scatter bait around and on the trap.
@@BackyardBirdsUS A live bird? Uh oh....I just ordered one of these things thinking this would catch birds! If I could catch live birds without this trap them why order it?
You want to catch them alive in case it's a non target bird. Which you can release.
I guess nature and behavior of English sparrow and English man are same "Take what's not yours "
Not really. English sparrows aka house sparrows are a species. English men are just a group within the species of humans. Trust me. You aren't the first to make this statement and at first it makes sense. But house sparrows were brought to north America and released.
The father has lost deal with it, now we got the newspapers don't worry about the beans
Hi, the sparrows here jumped on elevator arm and as it started to fall they jumped back out. Has anybody any ideas?
They sound smart. I've heard of putting a shirt fence up so they have to jump over it's to get to the elevator.
I like seeing my trap in action. I keep catching HOSP every day. I dont have a shelter box now. Its too messy. They only last a few days with or without it. I provide food and water.
Good for you. Keep trapping!
@@BackyardBirdsUS I keep the trap near my other feeders so I have been successful.
Depending on the season, other birds are a problem even if I feed only bread.
Squirrels can be a problem too.
Starlings are a problem. Need a special trap for them.
Happy Trapping!
What happens if and when the wrong bird gets trapped with the house sparrow? Does the invasive soarrow get aggressive?I want to trap them, we never see much of a variety of birds in my yard - only bluejays and Cardinals, no finches at all and they belong here. What do you do with the birds you catch? Maybe a pet shop will take them for - ahem, their other animals...
Thanks for this video!
If you catch something other than a house sparrow you release it unharmed. The birds I catch are euthanized. Wildlife rehabbers will use them as food.
Hello, thanks for all your videos they help explain a lot. I sent a request to join your group on Facebook because I’m going to order a trap and start trapping I was hesitant at first cause I didn’t think I would be able to do it until a house sparrow killed a male bluebird that was thinking of picking my bluebird box for nesting. I tried to save it but when I opened the box the house sparrow flew away and the poor bluebird was terrified I tried to catch the injured bird but couldn’t by the time I went in the shed to get something to help with that a cat got the poor thing I chased it but it was to late I was heart broken and crying and the house sparrow came back twice looking for him to finish the job. It hadn’t been back to the box since I also ordered the nest box trap. So I’m hoping to trap him someway before he kills again. Sorry for long post but I was also wondering what I could put the trap on off the ground to try and keep cats off box? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please keep posting your great videos! Thanks
I'm so sorry. That had to be awful to witness. I suggest a card table but cats can jump. Just keep scaring cat away. Hopefully that helps. Is it your cat? Can you lock out up? You will catch your killer sparrow and hopefully another bluebird comes along.
@@BackyardBirdsUS thank you it sure was I never want to see that again that is what changed my mind about trapping and ending. I’m going to get a trap soon as I can but in the mean time I’m going to do everything I can to catch him he is smart he is watching my boxes ready to attack what ever tries to use them. I have tried putting sticks in the box but that is not working. I know something had been getting in there early of the morning I have a stick at hole and when it’s has been moved I know something has been in there. No the cat is not mine my cat is an indoor cat only. We have tried to control the cats in our neighborhood by getting homes for the strays and getting them fixed but they have gotten out of hand again because people moving in and out all the time leaving them so I have finally given up on it. Some people need be educated and some are just heartless and don’t care. Anyway I will find something to get it off the ground. Should I place in near the bird feeders?
Sorry about the cats. I find it best to put trap by cover, where the sparrows hang out. Reduce food at feeder's.
@@BackyardBirdsUS thanks I just wished more people would have some respect and put there self in the same situation they put other people in and see how it makes them feel. I mean how would they feel if my cat or dog was always in there yard pooping in there flower beds and yard all the time and killing the birds that I love to watch and trying to help. Anyway sorry I went off topic a little.
Should I also put seed on top and around the trap at first with the trap not set so they get use to going in and out before I start trapping? Also with the decoy birds when you put them in shed a night what do you put them in? Is a shoe box with holes okay until I find out what to use? Thanks
I hear you. Respect is so important. I take the entire trap inside not just the birds. With a shelter box i leave it all outside all the time.
Great video, I feel unconfident in discerning female hosp from other female native sparrows. Any suggestions.
The males have that trademark black beard.
I think I know what a chipping sparrow looks like but am scared to dispatch females.
I hear you. The best thing is to look at the size. If the sparrow in question is smaller or larger than house sparrow it's not a house sparrow. Also look at the bill. Good sparrows have small hooked bill they use too kill other birds. Another thing is tail length. Many native sparrows have longer tails. Probably the best thing is if it looks different it is different... And you should release.
@@BackyardBirdsUS Jeff, you may want to edit your reply; the middle sentence says something like "*good* sparrows have hooked bills to catch and kill other birds..." I'm confused about what you meant, so other people might be as well. Thanks!
On the third day of my trap setup finally a bird went in but it was a song sparrow and was going nuts , but when I let it out it was singing the whole way as I could hear it.
Action was picking up as more birds were entering the trap toward evening but none were HS so I ended up locking the elevator and resume tomorrow.
First Male HS captured in birdhouse trap, put it in sparrow trap thru the dispatch door so didnt make same mistake as last time.
Excellent news. Did you clip is wings. Once you get a few house sparrows in the trap the natives tend to stay away.
@@BackyardBirdsUS No have not clipped any wings as yet. I currently have 6 HS in the trap waiting for more before I dispatch some. They are becoming quite comfortable as today I noticed all 6 sunning themselves while waiting in death row.
@@yes350yes 🤣
Do you know where to purchase a box like this or do you make them and can sell them?
Try van ert dot com. If they don't i could make and send you one.
We also have chipmunks. Will they try to get into this trap?
I now have 4 house sparrows in captivity, and I trapped the first one 6 days ago. I am giving them food and water and cleaning their trap cage. They are starting to feel like pets! I dispatched a few a couple weeks ago after trapping them, and I don't mind it, but I then ended up with no birds for several days. And it is so much easier to trap with a decoy already in the trap cage. If anyone has a source for a shelter box, I'd appreciate a comment below.
I hear you. I too become slightly attached to the decoy birds. I do make shelterboxes but I'm currently out of them. You can email me and I will notify you when they are ready. See link in the video description.
@@BackyardBirdsUS sir I need a elevator trap how much price it's available online
They can seem like pets until you watch a vid on you tube of how they destroy kill and take over other birds nests that you would rather have around. The neck pinch with long nose pliers is quick and instant.
@@yes350yes that’s stupid. You’re not accomplishing anything anyway they’ll just keep reproducing and replacing individuals that were killed
Actually they are accomplishing a lot. They are reducing the population locally which on turn helps various native birds.
What method do you use to kill them? I've seen some people feed them to their snakes which is a good method. Using them to feed and nourish another life.
If you want to learn ways to euthanize them I would do a web search for dispatching's house sparrows or euthanizing house sparrows. There are many ways.
Not sure that I can intentionally kill a bird. How do you do it?
Great video and being spring I need to get busy. The HS and starlings make a terrible mess in the pole barn on the farm plus kill the good birds. Those sparrows love cracked corn. I've caught many, sometimes 2 at a time with a Have a Hart small double door live trap. I was after chipmunks but with a small amount of cracked corn sprinkled around they go right in. Very hard to get them out so easiest to drown them. I do also just break their wing and let the Jack Russel, Red Tail Hawk or possum enjoy them.
You can also clip wings and release.. something will eventually get them. Great idea with the trap.
@@BackyardBirdsUS That's a great idea... making them an easier target for the hawks than the native birds.
so are you hypocrite, If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, right remember, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see, remember them when you die
I built my first sparrow trap off of the deluxe elevator repeat trap with a shelter box. I'm having some trouble getting them to get into the trap. They step on the elevator which starts to drop and then they fly out. Any suggestions? I think I've heard balance it with 5 quarters I believe I set it to drop at four quarters. Any help would be appreciated by myself and my bluebirds and tree swallows. Thanks! Cory
It does sound like it needs adjusting but they are also super intelligent birds. Use 2 quarters for house sparrows. 5 for starlings. Let me know if that works. Having a decoy bird helps to. You can catch one with a Van ert tap
@@BackyardBirdsUS thanks for the help. I have caught a couple of song sparrows and a juvenile grackle I'll update you later. Thanks!
Too bad these cant be purchased all in one [trap and shelter box] I could go for that on say ebay.
Some day!
And the manufacturing scheme can't be viewed??
What manufacturing scheme? I don't make the trap. Only the shelter box.
They are FUNNY. How can you be an introduced species and invasive at the same time? If it comes from Europe, why say it is invasive then? They do not outcompete pidgeons but come in second term on their own caution.
They are considered invasive because they outnumber and out compete our native cavity nesters. Pigeons are cavity nesting birds. House sparrows will kill their competition. Nothing worse than having them kill your adult bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, etc.
Ever catch a starling with this trap?
I have. One time i used suet as bait and changed the counter weight for starlings. I take it you have starlings. I generally use a funnel trap for them but this will work.
You’ve seen me comment on other videos of yours. I finally bought a repeating elevator trap thanks to your recommendation and I’m trapping successfully! Thanks for your good work.
That's fantastic news. Good for you.
if the sparrows keep increasing we will soon see only sparrows arround. the only species of small birds could be sparrows in the 21 century
but its still not good to kill any birds
It is good to kill English House Sparrows
The house sparrows are destructive in North America.
@@BackyardBirdsUSIf you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see
Since I have ordered the nestbox trap will use it for now , but hope to change to the elevator trap later this year. Will you have shelter boxes to purchase or would a person need to order when needed?
I'm making more shelter boxes. I just cut all the wood yesterday. Now to start assembly.
If you email me i will add you to the waiting list. There is a link in video description to contact me.
sparrows are very inteligent.
They wont fall on that one
I agree. They are very intelligent. One reason they kill so many of our nesting native birds. Aggressive and intelligent.
They obviously are falling for it, as evidenced by all the sparrows he and others have caught, lol!
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLaneso are you hypocrite, If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, right remember, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see, remember them when you die
Are the traps still available? When I click on the link it says it can't find that site.
Let me check the link.
Steve, I think its a problem with the site (not mine). Try Googling "Sparrow Traps Net" and you should see it.
How is the best way to identify a house sparrow? They all look alike to me.
Hard to explain here. Males and females look different. I'd get a field guide. But look at size, tail length, beak shape, and structure as compared to our native sparrows.
@@BackyardBirdsUS OK. Thank you. I know that I have sparrows. We hung a bird feeder in a tree to attract a pair of finches that were hanging around. The tree became filled with sparrows, and I haven't seen a finch since, but we don't have any problem with the sparrows doing damage to the house. I'll get the field guide. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hello! Thank you for the video. I have the same trap without the mods. My problem is that I have been using this trap for the last four years. It worked wonderfully, up to this year. Before this year, I was catching, depending on the time of year, up to 20 plus HOSP a day. As the years progressed, the numbers have become less and less. This year I have only caught one HOSP. They have learned and are avoiding. I have moved the trap around different parts of the yard, tried to disguise it, etc. to no effect. It's discouraging considering I have Bluebirds nesting in my yard. This is the first year that my Bluebirds were run off due to the ever-present HOSP. They killed the young Blues. It is extremely frustrating. Unfortunately, I cannot use any type of gun, due to living in city limits. I am looking for suggestions as to how to handle this situation.
I'm glad you wrote. I think if you use decoy birds in your trap you will have better luck at catching them. And like I say in the video, to keep the decoys alive you really need a shelter box. But there is one other thing you should use in to trap house sparrows...The Van Ert nest box trap. It will catch the sparrow when it claims a nest box. Here is a video about that: czcams.com/video/AT6sQDvJMNo/video.html
Once you start using the VanErt trap, when you catch a sparrow, you can clip its wings and put it in the repeating trap to use it as a decoy.
You need to keep live house sparrows in that trap. Try setting that trap up in a permanent location. I have mine attached to a shed and a hole inside the Trap allowing the birds to go into a holding area inside the shed. It keeps them warm it keeps them cool it keeps them from getting caught by predators and stressed out from predators. You can also feed them from there. You can have that trap going all year long like I do. I never have bluebirds tree swallows a purple martins getting harassed by house sparrows any more
@@BackyardBirdsUS Thank you for the input and I will try a shelter box. Before, I have tried keeping decoys in the trap only to have the trap tore apart by hawks, owls, raccoons, etc.
Use rat poison. No other choice bro..
They dont hurt when they bite. Hook bills on the other hand are mean when they bite.
They do hurt. Maybe not as bad but they did hurt.
@@BackyardBirdsUS guess i have thick skin. Feels like a nibble to me, but I've had budgies and Cockatiel. One hurts way worse.
I bet you were right. I think it's more that they startled me when I get chomped.
Honestly i get the fear of pain, but these guys wont really do much unless you already have an injury where they happen to bite. If it does pinch its not a lot. I hand fed budgies as a kid and i suppose after a bit i got used to it so i didnt drop them. Sparrows are all intimidation unless they get you in the face. I have a pet sparrow that gets a little attitude every now and then and she goes after my nose and pulls beard hair out. Other than that she is absolutely sweet and adorable. But that is the nature of a sparrow.
How interesting. Thanks for sharing.
These traps do not work indoors.
They work pretty much anywhere but you have to bait them properly and use decoy birds just like in the video. Where did you try to use it and have it fail?
Today I saw something that shows this elevator trap is not 100% effective. Late this afternoon I watched what looked like a female house sparrow escape after the elevator dropped her. Seems she couldnt figure out the opening to cage , at any rate kept fighting and squirming till she slipped around the elevator mechanism and off she went.
That's something I've never seen before. Although I have seen native birds escape. So it doesn't surprise me that a house Sparrow could.
@@BackyardBirdsUS My mistake I meant to say House finch, I have now seen this 2 or 3 times now.
I've had my trap out for three days and just caught my first four HOSP this morning (yay!!). But I've also watched two female HOSP escape the elevator today. One got her neck trapped between the bait tray and the hardware cloth covering the elevator as it began to move down, and she struggled upward enough that she was able to fly out. The other was also a female who flew out the instant the elevator started moving. So frustrating to see them escape!
Jeff-- apparently the elevator trap doesent come with a door and latch , can you make those or will a person have to do that on their own. I do want to get the shelter box.
I have ordered the elevator trap already
Surprisingly the trap does have a door with a lock not like shown in this vid just a turn lever for keeping door closed , will work for now.
I changed my trap to have a hook. I didn't like the fastener that came with the trap.
I have shelter boxes ready to ship.
How can I purchase the house sparrow trap thanks
There is a link in the video description.
This video does not make it clear that sparrows and many other birds are legally protected from capture and harm in other countries. This video should be limited to north America.
Other countries have their invasive species as well. Maybe not house sparrows. I know in Australia myna birds are a problem, so they trap them.
@@BackyardBirdsUS I'm fully aware of this, but one country's invasive can be another's protected species, hence this video should be limited to a region (or at least carry a disclaimer) because uneducated people watching in another country could wrongly assume that they can trap house sparrows elsewhere without issue. For example, in the UK all nesting birds, eggs, young and active nests are protected by law. There are further protections for some species. House sparrows are also in severe decline in the UK and are listed as a priority species for biodiversity and are a material consideration in planning applications. I don't even know where this video would stand legally if a defendant claimed they used its advice?
You are right. That is why i have a video explaining that they are a problem where they are introduced.
@@BackyardBirdsUS But a good percentage of Joe public really doesn't understand the definition of introduced, it needs to be clearer. I advise the public on such matters professionally and I know there's a good proportion who won't get it without it being underlined.
Remember, givens and trains of thought are obvious to experts because you deal with it everyday. It's easy to forget that others are not doing the same nor have the same knowledge base.
Love your video very informative. Thank you so much!
Thank you. This made my day.
Sparrows go near my trap but won’t go in or eat the food. I have white millet and bread
I have the same problem. Try moving the trap too a new location. That seems to help.
@@BackyardBirdsUS thanks man. Subscribed
Appreciate it. Thanks
Bread works best for me and it doesn't attract the seed eaters.
I caught a female last week b4 storm.
Now I have a male too. I'm trying to keep them alive.
Good luck. I have never had good luck with bread. Must be what they are used to?
@@BackyardBirdsUS I have caught many the past few weeks. I dont know how many I have in the trap. Bread as bait seems to work well for me.
The birds are smart and follow the cardinals for food too, so I rarely use black oil or millet unless I can monitor visually.
Thanks for the info
I just caught many Starlings the past few days with peanut butter suet.
I need another repeating trap just for HOSP.
The catbirds have been a repeated nuisance going after the suet.
Yes starlings seem to love peanut butter. Glad you are catching them.
Had 1 HOSP in the trap yesterday.
2 this morning, and now at the rnd of the day.
4 HOSP AND 1 starling.
You know what you are doing! Congratulations.
@@BackyardBirdsUS i dont have a shelter box now. Maybe i will build another. The inside gets too messy.
I took down my feeders yestetday, so now i have a male HOSP with the youngsters, plus another starling. It's hard to tell how many i have in trap. With shelter box i had 17 b4.
Squirrels and grackles are a problem eating the bait.
Will this work for grackles? If not Do you have a trap You Recommend? Thx
Leave native birds alone.
Grackles are protected. I just give them cracked corn and they will be gone after migration.
What's your problem with sparrows, dude?
Did you not watch the video on them being invasive. Explains it all.
Oh yes, I have seen many videos and reports propagating this sparrow hate.
What I found was that it all exclusively comes from the US since nowhere else in the world people think of sparrows the way you folks do.
There could only be two reasons for this. Either you have some form of mutated super aggressive sparrows in the US or there is a lie that gets mindlessly repeated in the echo chamber and is being supported with selective videos from people with an agenda. And what could that agenda be? Well, it turns out it's the bluejay.
You can think of the bluejay as an American sparrow - a small songbird that lives close to humans and is very successful. So ever since the sparrow was introduced to the US, it's been sharing the nesting spaces and food with the bluejay. Then came one crazy old lady (sorry, forgot her name) who loved bluejays and spent her free time killing sparrows with a bag and her car's exhaust pipe. She wrote a book where she talked about how evil and crazy the sparrow is and how it's invasive and hurtful to the beautiful and gentle bluejay.
Since that book got published, this idea spread like wildfire. There are many videos of "sparrows killing bluejays in their nests" on CZcams. But the moment you do just a little more than zero research, you can find exact same videos where bluejays kill sparrows in their nests. It goes both ways, they are the same. Sparrows are not crazy, they are not psychopats and they are not invasive. You have no idea what invasive means. The only thing they are is having great survival skills and they usually come in large groups so they seem intimidating.
But you see, songbirds are in decline all over the world and you would have to be crazy to think sparrows are to blame. Please search on CZcams stuff like "declining sparrows" and you will see many evidence of sparrows' numbers going down drastically all over the world. There are already initiatives of conservation in places like India while you guys are still in the stone age, killing them. We are currently in the middle of the 6th great species extinction (google it if you don't believe me) and we have only ourselves to blame. The air is polluted, the water is polluted, modern architecture leaves no places for nests, domesticated cats kill literally billions of birds every year,...there are thousands of reasons why wildlife is dying and I cannot believe how can anyone call themselves an animal lover where they feed bluejays with one hand and kill sparrows with the other.
And just as a sidenote, when you think about it...the sparrow was introduced to the US around the same time that the settlers came. So if the American people think of sparrows as invasive, what do they think of themselves then? Weren't you guys the ones who came from across the ocean and brutally killed the native species? And now you kill innocent animals to justify your twisted beliefs? How can you drive a car, use the washing machine, cut down trees, hunt fish for fun, eat fast food.....and at the same time talk about animals being invasive?
Please, try to understand...all animals want only one thing - to live. The world is big enough for all of them, it is the human race that is too big and invasive to this world. Instead of hunting and killing animals, how about feeding them and providing them with nesting places, huh? How about that? All over the world sparrows live in harmony with all other small songbirds so don't tell it's not possible.
Oh and if you think it's impossible for such a widespread belief to be false, think about the goldfish. How many times have you heard the saying "goldfish have a super short memory"? And nobody ever wondered how such an organism could have survived natural selection, they all just joined the echo chamber. Well, guess what, goldfish have normal memory and they can even recognize faces of their owners.
Never too late to realize the truth and change the way you think and act. Racism is bad and so is speciesism. You YT videos just help spread the hate and misinformation and comments under your videos about catching sparrows are bone chilling.
@@CHIBItheSPARROW Why must you be so ignorant
@@CHIBItheSPARROWI’m gonna think about this stupid comment every time I dispatch one of the nasty sparrows :)
My grandfather in northern Michigan taught me how to build an elevator bird trap when I was 8. I'm 71 now. He used to trap mainly sparrows and starlings. I haven't built a bird trap in a while, but when I lived in the US, I almost always had functioning bird traps. I now live in the Philippines, and although we too have a house sparrow problem, the biggest threat to the native birds is locals with air guns hunting them for meat. For that reason, I figure that having sparrows around is better than not having anything, and I don't trap. That said, I still often have native birds in my back yard. We have lots of fruit trees in our yard, which is walled off, and that attracts the birds to our yard and gives them a place of sanctuary from the hunters. Although bird hunting is illegal here, these people are often hunting to survive, so it isn't likely that they will stop any time soon, and they will shoot a sparrow just as quickly as they will shoot any other bird.
What's an eye opening comment. Thank you. Glad you provide a sanctuary.
@@BackyardBirdsUS I wish I could say everything is going peachy in my little sanctuary, but but a direct hit by Typhoon Odette (a Cat5 typhoon) wiped out most of the trees on our property. We will replant our fruit trees, but it will take years before they grew enough to once again provide much of a sanctuary to the birds
@@BackyardBirdsUS BTW, the elevator trap is easy to scale up too. I built an 8-foot by 8-foot by 8-foot hardware cloth retaining area (with regular sized elevator traps on the sides and a door to allow human entry) to catch starlings and feral pigeons for the Raptor Rehabilitation Center in northern Utah when I lived there. It provided fresh meat for their injured birds of prey and allowed them to release whatever other species were captured in the trap.
That's awesome. A giant elevator trap would be so cool to have. Is love to catch collared doves although i don't really see them much. You do good work!
That's awful news but i know things will bounce back and you will be part of the solution.
When i get too many HOSP in the trap, i now clip their wings and then release for the owls or hawks. They were dying in a few days anyway with or without a shelter box.
Mark Matolak why don’t u punish the people who brought them into the USA, sure, u may continue killing them, but always remember to not show too much aggression, it wasn’t the sparrows fault.
Not possible. They were introduced here more than 100 years ago.
They are PESTS. They are a major nuisance around homes, restaurants, businesses, and not too mention hurting our native species, which is why I eradicate them. If I see them at my feeders or hear them, I make an effort to eradicate them.
@@crmark21 me too I love taking them out with a pellet gun from my room
@@zedpwner yeah, sounds like fun, but when you get a small flock, the trap is much more effective. I have had 17 in the trap at one time when i had a shelter box attached.
Keep shooting and ill keep trapping
Have you seen hawks take them?
In order to control them i just use my .177 beeman p17 handgun with a simmons .22 scope
You must be a good shot. Trap is good where you can't use a gun.
You can't hit the broadside of a barn with that bb pistol. Try a Beeman R7
I guess you love killing animals.
so are you hypocrite, If you are white or an immigrant, then you are no different than a sparrow, hypocrite, come to a foreign land and kill natives, right remember, thats what yall did, we should kill you that's all I see, remember them when you die, these birds are symbolic of you'll hypocrites
Super excited. Have been using the DRST a few years now. Just purchased your shelter box. Can’t wait to see how that improve my yield.
I caught a mourning dove once, very hard to get out because it didn’t get out of the elevator. It flew off when I did remove it.
I would like to find a video showing how to properly perform the cervical dislocation. I am super nervous to try based off reading about it.
Thank you for this improvement.
Try joining the " house sparrow control" group on Facebook. Some one shows that there. I don't think CZcams would allow it.
I'm sending you your shelter box today! Thank you!
Glad you like it and are going to use it!
@@BackyardBirdsUS all I need to do now is cut some wire and connect it to my trap. So excited!