I bait sparrows year round

[Struckat]

Same story, introduced in the 1800s in NYC.

One must be careful to not mistake our native sparrows for HOSPS.

Other Brown Birds: photos of house sparrows, house wrens, house finch, chipping sparrow, cowbird, carolina wren and how to tell them apart

General information on how to attract nesting bluebirds, including distinguishing nests and eggs of other cavity nesters, heat, dealing with house sparrows, data on bluebird trail.

www.sialis.org

 

[dv8eod]

I have a hard time distinguishing between female hosps and the female finches that hang around, so I mainly only take shots on the males when I see them. Which ain't very often.

 

[Struckat]

Our native sparrows are pretty close, but it’s the grey cap on the hops that give them away. That site I linked in my prior post is a wonderful resource.

I just finished weeding the garden. When I first went out there a dozen of the little things flew out of the bushes. I had the 1701 on me, but no shots.

I will set up a stool in the corner where the fence meets the house. At that angle I will have a safe shooting lane for the 1701. More power than that gets risky.
If that works, I will build a little death box backstop.

The main thing is to not be seen eliminating pests.

 

[JungleShooter]

I shoot them year round also, I probably spend $500 a year or more on bird seed

Chesty,

you are a shining MODEL OF DEDICATION TO A CAUSE!!
Wow! 500 dollars just on bird seed, each year!

Though some might not appreciate your service, keep up the good work.

Matthias

 

[beerthief]

if i put bird seed out i get hordes of squirrels and coons . Bought one of those whirly bird feeders and i swear the squirrels rode it like an amusement ride till it burned it out 2 times .

 

[jetpopt]

The problems did not end with mass sparrow killing, though. Next up was that the things the sparrows ate then proliferated to the point that rice crops were decimated.

Everything we do to manage a species can have an unintended consequence.

In my view, too much of ANY one species (out of balance with others) is bad news.

They are, like starlings, an I invasive species introduced to this continent in the 1800’s because some clown in NYC thought they would be good at eating the army worms or some type of caterpillars.

They have gone from 20 breeding pairs to a population of over 700,000,000 and decimated our native song birds. They throw baby bluebirds out of the nest and claim it.

It is the only thing Chairman Mao was ever correct on, all sparrows (English house sparrows) must

 

[HubenK1Sniper92]

Chesty,

you are a shining MODEL OF DEDICATION TO A CAUSE!!
Wow! 500 dollars just on bird seed, each year!

Though some might not appreciate your service, keep up the good work.

Matthias

More than birds eat the seed, I already shot raccoons at night in my feeder, even shot a groundhog out of it, didn’t know they could climb trees, lots of chipmunks, red squirrels etc…. Deer etc….I keep watch on my feeder year round hot or cold lol

 

[Struckat]

The problems did not end with mass sparrow killing, though. Next up was that the things the sparrows ate then proliferated to the point that rice crops were decimated.

Everything we do to manage a species can have an unintended consequence.

In my view, too much of ANY one species (out of balance with others) is bad news.

Yes that was the result. We will never put a dent in their population here. Never ever.

 

[HubenK1Sniper92]

Good write up airgunmike.. I bait when I plow and plant Browntop Millet for dove.. This feeder hangs on a fake utility wire.. Love the sound when they are hit with JSB's.. Keep hammering them!
View attachment 366374

The pop never gets old

 

[beerthief]

i dont shoot birds , only squirrels and coons that raid the feeders . also i only feed in the winter as there is plenty of natural feed here in the growing seasons . I am not in a pesting situation for birds .

 

[JungleShooter]

They are a pest. But I hope you don't consider this hunting. Because it isn't. At least IMHO.
Pesting yes. | Hunting no.

Septicdeath,

I appreciate your comment.

Forgive my ignorance when it comes to "hunting" — I was not fortunate enough to grow up in a nation with a 2A in their constitution.


Why would it be so important to highlight that "this" is not "hunting" but "pesting"?

More specifically:
▪ What damage would occur if shooting a deer was considered "pesting"?
▪ Or, what damage would occur if shooting HOSPs in the backyard was considered "hunting"?


Thanks for clarifying this for me once and for all — your and others' posts about this always get my eyebrows contorted in deep furrows of my own misunderstanding....
Sadly, it seems that 80% of the people of my birth country Germany hate hunting and hunters — so I have some learning to do.

Matthias

 

[Septicdeath]

Septicdeath,

I appreciate your comment.

Forgive my ignorance when it comes to "hunting" — I was not fortunate enough to grow up in a nation with a 2A in their constitution.


Why would it be so important to highlight that "this" is not "hunting" but "pesting"?

More specifically:
▪ What damage would occur if shooting a deer was considered "pesting"?
▪ Or, what damage would occur if shooting HOSPs in the backyard was considered "hunting"?


Thanks for clarifying this for me once and for all — your and others' posts about this always get my eyebrows contorted in deep furrows of my own misunderstanding....
Sadly, it seems that 80% of the people of my birth country Germany hate hunting and hunters — so I have some learning to do.

Matthias

It's also important to note. The only sparrows you can legally kill is the English house sparrow. All other sparrows are protected. Know how to identify them.

When it comes to sparrows, there are more than 50 different species of them. “Sparrow” is a term that covers a variety of small, brown/grey birds.

Picture of English house sparrow.

 

[Struckat]

It's also important to note. The only sparrows you can legally kill is the English house sparrow. All other sparrows are protected. Know how to identify them.

When it comes to sparrows, there are more than 50 different species of them. “Sparrow” is a term that covers a variety of small, brown/grey birds.

Picture of English house sparrow.

View attachment 366453

That is why I linked in my prior post to a site for identification.

Everyone must know their target.

 

[dv8eod]

It's also important to note. The only sparrows you can legally kill is the English house sparrow. All other sparrows are protected. Know how to identify them.

When it comes to sparrows, there are more than 50 different species of them. “Sparrow” is a term that covers a variety of small, brown/grey birds.

Picture of English house sparrow.

View attachment 366453

You should add the caveat that that is here in the US. Shooting English House Sparrows in England might not go over so well.

 

[Septicdeath]

You should add the caveat that that is here in the US. Shooting English House Sparrows in England might not go over so well.

Don't know England's hunting regulations.

 

[dv8eod]

Don't know England's hunting regulations.

But you made the blanket statement that English House Sparrows are the only ones that can be shot with no context? Other countries may not allow it.

 

[TN_Yankee]

I very well may be wrong, but that doesn't look like a HOSP to me - more like a juvenile chipping sparrow. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/id

 

[dv8eod]

I very well may be wrong, but that doesn't look like a HOSP to me - more like a juvenile chipping sparrow. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/id

View attachment 366491

You may be right. The tail looks too long to me. I don't see the line across the eye, either.

 

[Septicdeath]

I very well may be wrong, but that doesn't look like a HOSP to me - more like a juvenile chipping sparrow.

Check the wings. See if they are the same.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/id

View attachment 366491

 

[Struckat]

But you made the blanket statement that English House Sparrows are the only ones that can be shot with no context? Other countries may not allow it.

True, but the discussion was about why shoot them...because they are an invasive species in the US.

I posted the link for identification to the spot where it discusses hosps and “Other brown birds” because misidentification is very very easy. Evidence in another post in this thread.

One can not just blast away thinking everything is a hosp.