House
Sparrows
Our Sparrow Solutions
Based upon our inspection and your answers to the questions below, we will determine exactly what bird control method will rid you of your sparrow problem and implement it quickly and efficiently. We use many different methods of bird control so that we can ensure you are getting exactly the type of control you need. Select the options below if you are interested in learning more about the control methods we use.
House Sparrow Control Professionals
Professional bird control is what you need when your sparrow problem gets serious and we have the experience to help you out. Between sparrow droppings and the health risks that the birds pose, there is plenty of reason to stop the problem before it gets any worse than it is. The longer sparrows are in a location, the more they feel at home and they will not always leave willingly. It is easier to get rid of them as soon as you see them starting to make your home or business their spot. We can get to the birds in the hard-to-reach spots they like to inhabit and follow local laws and regulations to get the job done properly.
A sparrow problem should not be taken lightly or left to take care of itself. The potential damage and health risks are too great to let sparrows run wild on your home, business or other type of structure and we can help stop the problem before it gets any bigger.
There are several House Sparrow control options that are available. Each control methods have pros and cons and varying expense associated with the method. It is important to understand that the success of each control method will vary depending upon the implementation time frame and the frequency of treatment.
Several control options may need to be integrated to manage the sparrow populations, which can depend upon the time of year, how severe the bird problem is, property features, and the size of the affected area.
Let Aviaway develop a bird management program to remedy your specific sparrow problem. With over 30 years of designing and installing bird control systems, Aviaway will ensure that the bird control program solves your specific bird problem.
We think about what you need when developing a custom plan for your sparrow problem. We take several factors into consideration, inlcuding:
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How long has the sparrow problem been going on?
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How many sparrows, and how big is the problem area?
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Do they have a food or water source nearby?
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Are there any mechanical or structural problems allowing a food or water source to develop?
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Are the sparrows nesting, loafing, or roosting?
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Is heavy nesting causing fire hazards?
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Do surrounding buildings also have a bird problem?
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Are there bird droppings along walkways or parking areas?
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Are there any liability issues due to the house sparrow infestation?
About House Sparrows
House sparrows are found in most parts of the world. The house sparrow is commonly associated with human habitation and mainly lives among humans.
House sparrows are hardy birds that are often considered pests because they are found in large numbers around humans, in addition to the aggressive behavior they exhibit towards other birds. They have adapted well to city life and reproduce quickly. Their diet mainly consists of grains, seeds, fruits, and invertebrates like insects. They actually spread so widely that they put other species, like bluebirds, at risk. A common practice of these birds is to break other birds eggs to avoid having to share resources.
Taxonomy
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
Common Names:
Passeriformes
Ploceidae
Passer
Passer domesticus
House Sparrow,
English Sparrow
House sparrows are common in northern Africa, Asia, and Europe and have been introduced into many other parts of the world, including North America. They are not considered to be a threatened species.
While most birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, since the house sparrow is not native to the United States, it is one of the few not protected. While certain states may still have laws against disturbing house sparrow nests and eggs, in most states they can be removed legally. Professional bird control specialists should be consulted when dealing with House Sparrow nests as the father can get very aggressive and dangerous if they believe you to be a threat.
Evolutionary Traits
House sparrows are one of the most widespread birds in the world. It is a small bird with a length of 5.5 to 7.5 inches and a weight of 0.8 to 1.4 ounces. It has a gray head with a black bib and a brownish-gray body. The female is similar to the male, but it is more grayish. They are thought to have evolved from a sparrow species found in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago, now a commensal species thriving the closer they live to humans. While these birds are actually only native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, humans introduced them into North America in the 19th century, and they have spread to other parts of the world, including Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Japan.
They were originally introduced to Brooklyn to control caterpillar populations. While only 8 pairs of House Sparrows were released, they spread to the entire continental United States in less than 50 years. Many consider the House Sparrow to be North America's first invasive species.
Sparrows are notably less common in China because of the Four Pests Campaign, an initiative led by Mao Zedong to eliminate sparrows among other pests. The destruction of the sparrow population eventually contributed to the Great Chinese Famine due to the lack of sparrows to eat the locusts, who themselves ate the Chinese crops.
Diet
House sparrows' diet mainly consists of grains, seeds, fruits, and invertebrates like insects. They live in close symbiotic proximity to humans and thus also eat the food that humans leave behind. In this way, they are often seen as pests. But they have also been used to control other species' populations through their eating habits. For instance, the fact that they were first introduced into the United States in 1852 to combat linden moth larvae in New York City.
Behavior
House sparrows are very social birds and are usually found in large flocks. They are very conforming and will often come close to humans. They are quick to adapt to new environments and can reproduce quickly. House sparrows can be found in urban, cultivated, or agricultural areas with grassy cover and scattered trees or bushes. They do not require deep forests to survive and live in close association with humans. Farmers often see them as a risk to the local ecosystem because they often outcompete native species of birds.
Life Cycle
Reproduction
One of the many advantages House Sparrows have over competing songbirds that has allowed it to become so widespread is the fact that they reach maturity faster than other species. Most songbirds begin breeding the year after they are born, but House Sparrows reach maturity and begin breeding in an average of 9 months. Combined with the fact that they steal other birds' nests and reuse them throughout the year means they can expend less energy while growing in numbers more rapidly than other bird species.
As House Sparrows are one of the pest bird species that reuse their nest throughout the year and do not clean them out as other species might, the accumulated droppings and feathers increase the hardiness of their nest. However, this is also an open invitation to any parasites or diseases that thrive off of their unsanitary environment.
Because of their adept ability at nesting nearly anywhere, they often end up nesting in places they are unwanted. In most cases federal law protects birds nests from being disturbed or removed when eggs are present, but House Sparrows are a non-native and invasive species, therefore they are not protected. If you need a House Sparrow's nest removed from your property, call bird control specialists like us at AviAway, and we can assist in the removal and sanitation of the affected area.
Nesting Behavior
House sparrows, like many other birds, are cavity nesters. They are small enough that they can find nesting areas almost anywhere, from holes in the siding of buildings and homes to business signs, and
Egg Description
Size:
Color:
Incubation:
Brood Size:
Frequency:
2 - 2.2 centimeters
white to green/blue gray, with brown speckles
10 - 14 days
1 - 8 eggs
2 - 4 broods per year
even nest boxes that have already been claimed by other birds. The house sparrow has even been known to kill or evict the resident bird of a nest box and build a new nest on top of the competing bird's fledglings.
Nesting Material
House sparrows build their nests out of grass, leaves, and other small materials they find lying around, including trash if they are living in urban or suburban areas. They typically build their nests in sheltered locations such as under eaves or in holes in buildings and are known to damage solar panels, roof tiles, and siding by making nests in even the smallest gap that is left unchecked.
Maturity & Lifespan
Male house sparrows sing to attract mates. They will often compete with other males for territory and mates. The male and female form a bond after mating, and the male helps to care for the young. House sparrows have a wide range of vocalizations, but their songs are often described as trills or chirps. Their calls can range from harsh, to smooth and soft.
The female lays around 2 to 7 eggs per brood, and both the male and female help incubate the eggs and care for the young. House sparrows typically live for 3 to 5 years.
Immature male house sparrows that are not ready to find a mate have a similar appearance to females, lacking the black bib and darker feather coloring of their mature counterparts. The only noticeable difference in appearance between the female and immature male is that all mature House Sparrows have a black beak, while immature sparrows have an orangy-yellow beak.
House Sparrow Distribution
House Sparrows were initially introduced in Brooklyn, New York, in 1851. Accounts differ on who specifically released the birds, but the reason they were released was so they would assist in the control of the linden moth larvae. The larvae were harming the tree population around New York at the time.
Only 16 birds were released, but they grew rapidly and spread throughout the Eastern United States and even made it as far as the rocky mountains in less than 50
years. Ornithologists also are at fault for the introduction of another of the most pervasive pest bird species in North America, the European Starling.
Even though this species is one that thrives alongside human populations, their populations have been decreasing lately. While at a certain point their populations one of the largest of any bird species in the US, the total population has decreased nearly 10% in only the past 20 years.
Now their populations rest around 80 million, while in the early 1900s they were at their peak, with their population resting at well over 150 million. They were able to become so widespread because of the farming practices that were common at the time that allowed them to thrive on wheat. At the time it was estimated that more than half of their diet consisted of wheat and other livestock feed.
Why You Don't Want House Sparrows
Invasive Sparrows
There are many reasons to get rid of your sparrow problem. House Sparrows are an annoying species. It is infuriating to have a bird flying around in a warehouse or parking garage, and oftentimes this species is the culprit of such behavior. They spook customers away, annoy employees, cause problems with their nests, and are noisy. And that's for one bird; it gets worse the more birds there are.
Sparrows love to congregate in large supermarket parking lots, industrial buildings, factories, and feed lots. These birds can sometimes be seen flying inside these large big box stores. They build nest up in their building rafters and ceilings. This is definitely bad for business. They also can cause structural damage to buildings by pecking away at the foam insulation. The uric acid that builds up from their droppings can cause structural damage as well. They also make for a potential fire hazard with their nests being placed in vents, gutters, and on window sills. They also can lead to structural water damage issues.
Health Hazards
Sparrows spread diseases. House sparrows are known carriers of over 25 diseases transmittable to humans and other animals. These include bacterial and viral infections as well as the spread of parasites. Diseases lurk in sparrow nests, as they reuse the nest throughout the year and are not known to clean out the nest as other cleaner bird species do. The simple fact that they feel comfortable enough building a nest on top of other victim birds should say enough about the health hazard their nests pose to humans and other animals.
Another reason to get rid of your sparrow problem is because of their droppings. Sparrow droppings contain uric acid, which can eat away at paint and building materials. Keep the sparrow droppings away from automobiles and painted surfaces if you want them to stay crisp.
Songbird Competition
House sparrows also compete with native bird species for food and nesting space. This can lead to the displacement of other bird species and a decrease in their populations. These species are often more desirable, such as Bluebirds, Finches, Chickadees, Purple Martins, and many others. Sparrows are aggressive, both towards other birds and towards humans. Once sparrows set up a nest, they will guard it against all those they believe to be intruding on their territory. This includes being aggressive towards humans and animals with behaviors like dive-bombing.
Schedule a free consultation with AviAway and let us come up with a custom solution to your sparrow problem. AviAway has 25 years of bird control experience and can prevent sparrows from nesting on your property or business. Call today or set up a free consultation.
