Ryan's Trap Development

Well folks, I have decided to try my hand at making my own traps. I will be documenting the process for everyone to critique. At the end of my efforts (once I have developed an efficient trap) I will be putting together a video to demonstrate my efforts.

It's important to keep in mind that I am not a craftsman by any means and I generally undertake these projects based simply off of common sense and logic. This is important to remember because if I can do it, you can do it! Feel free to give me some advice and ideas as they come to you!

Well I have started by using some wood I had lying around. I also had wood screws and a heavy duty staple gun which came in handy. I picked up some hardware cloth, hinges, and eyelets from Home Depot, totalling around $20 or so. I used fishing line and a hook (dangerous parts clipped off) for the trigger.

Here is what it looks like at this stage:

Well we have had success with the prebaiting so I placed the trap. Unfortunately the trigger keeps setting itself. I used a piece of bread dipped in peanut butter then dipped in birdseed for bait on the trigger, but that proved to gain weight over time and set the trap on it's own.

The trigger type is a simple pully system with the door propped up. The bird pulls on the bait, the piece propping the door up is pulled and the door closes. Not sure if it will actually work or not until I solve the bait issue.

I have decided to try some popcorn with the prebaiting and as the trigger bait. The birds have displayed no signs of intimidation from the trap.

And the wind and rain came to drown my hopes of a capture today. This isn't going to stop me!

Until tomarrow....

And we caught our first male today! Caught it in an odd fashion as a matter of fact, almost accidentally. The door was closed as the trigger was set yesterday, but a sparrow actually pushed his way through the door and into the trap. I watched him for a while to see if he could get out of the trap through the door and he failed.

See, all that trigger nonsense was for nothing, perhaps. Now that we have created a successful trap we will begin to check it's consistancy and test some other theories as well.

Well it appears as though that first sparrow was a fluke. Nothing more than the most adventurous sparrow in the bush. Now that we know no other birds are going to be pushing the door open on any regular basis, we will need to try to lure the birds in by sectioning off a lure bird. Same concept as with the repeater traps in that you keep at least one male sparrow in the trap to attract the others.

If this doesn't work we will have to alter the trigger.

Wow, looks like you put some effort into that. First time I've seen that. good stuff.

Congrats on your first capture with your trap, that's always a good feeling.

Have you thought about using a pressure trigger?

Thanks guys!

I have thought about the pressure trigger and I'm sure I will use it sooner or later, I wanted to go with the basics first and work my way up. I imagine those will be difficult in the beginning as I am no craftsman.

Haha wow, you must really hate sparrows.

I don't hate sparrows, I just like the songbirds better.

The sparrows have become wise to my efforts and are avoiding my traps altogether, yet they still congregate in mass in the yard. Perhaps it is time to to it to another level....

Though I am new to this site, I am not new sparrow control. Myname is Monty, and I've had a 14 box bluebird trail for over 20 years now. I've seen many bluebirds and tree swallows successfully reared in that time, but I've almost seen too many sparrow-initiated tragedies.

I am the first one to claim, I hate house sparrows and starlings, with as much passion as I feel for the bluebirds. Last year, while checking my trail, I found a sparrow nest. The first time I found it, I saw the grass sticking from the hole, knew what it was immediately, but also knew tree swallows were trying to use the box. My heart raced! I thought, "No carcass, no carcass, no carcass!" I opened the box, and staring me in the face was a swallow carcass. Nothing but dried, shriveled meat for its head.


I ripped the nest out, destroyed the eggs and closed it, returning hom furiously. A week later, I returned --the trail is out by my parents house, and I live 20 mins away in town (ugghh!)-- found another sparrow nest, of course. My heart pounded again with the "no carcass" thought. Yep, you guessed it, the other swallow was laying dead with its head pounded to nothing.

I have a .22 rifle I use at my parents house; a box trap that hangs from the nestbox entrance, made by my late-neighbor (wonderful man); and a Blaine repeating trap. Yes, I've been the object of criticism for my sparrow eliminating ways... I don't care. Ryan, you defended my post on a Birds and Blooms webpage recently. I appreciate the gesture. They know me all-too well. I wanted to get an honest answer from them. "If you leave the sparrows alone, but they continue to wreak havoc, what do you do?" For that, I received no answer, because their isn't one that they can voice. Tearing nests out doesn't work. Eliminating them permanently is the only way.

Monty

Monty and Ryan my hat is off to you both! I too am a UK house sparrow (in the US) hater! I too have experienced devastation to my purple martins and so have many other landlords that I know.

Ryan please do not stop alerting bird lovers of the tragic price our native birds pay due to the introduction of the sparrows and starlings! Only the uninformed will question your efforts.

Monty, I am so sorry for your losses. I know how heartbreaking and frustrating it is. It is awesome that you have been caring for the bluebirds for 20 years! What a Godsend you have been and still are. Never give up and NEVER apologize for protecting them. The sparrows do not belong here and I wish they had never been introduced. I cannot imagine anyone being upset about their demise given the death and torture they bring to our own native birds!!

One more thing, I got my first female sparrow this morning in my repeater trap! I will keep her healthy! Yep, sure will...for a time...as my decoy for her mate and friends!!

Monty I'm glad you joined us here, there aren't many places like this where you wont be crucified for doing the right thing. It was and is my pleasure to support you and the others like us out there when it is needed.

That being said, I look forward to hearing about your progress with the trail. I've always wanted a trail but never had a place to manage one, so I am definately interested in yours. Sorry again for your losses.