How to Get Rid of Sparrow Birds

White-crowned sparrow

Many people consider sparrows a pesky nuisance, because they have been known to cause damage to homes and native bird species. Sparrows occasionally get inside the home and create nests, which could lead to permanent property damage. There are several methods you can use to get rid of sparrows, from traps to decoys.

Things You'll Need

• Repeating house trap
• Nest box trap
• Drop trap
• Needle strips
• Plastic owl decoy

Instructions

1. Set up a repeating house trap to trap sparrows. These traps capture birds in an inescapable compartment so you can re-release them back into the wild away from your home. They also allow you to filter out birds you didn't intend to trap.

2. Set box traps once you are certain that sparrows have settled into a box. Setting traps beforehand will deter them from using that particular box and they will settle elsewhere.

3. Use drop traps after sparrows have become regular feeders in the area. When the sparrows swoop in to feed, a drop trap can be lowered to capture the birds.

4. Line fences and roof edges with needle strips. This will deter birds from landing on and around your house.

5. Patch up holes to prohibit sparrows from making nests in unwanted areas. Even if they've already made a nest, you can still patch the hole while they are away from the nest to keep them from coming back.

6. Get rid of nuts and berries sparrows like to feed on, and keep yard feeders empty until you have the problem under control.

7. Set up an owl decoy after you've got the sparrow population down to a manageable size. Owls tend to prey on sparrows, and decoys can help deter sparrows from lingering around a yard they believe to be guarded.

Tips & Warnings

• Check traps regularly.

• Avicides are illegal in many areas because you are not able to control the types of birds they will affect.

References

• North American Bluebird Society
• Whazsup