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I have three backyard birdfeeders. One with a block of seed, one with thistle seed in a plastic tube with perches, primarily for gold finches, and a third with sunflowers seeds for several different varieties of birds. I live in Ohio and the birdfeeder with sunflower seeds has been raided all winter by house sparrows. For the person who is picky as to which species of birds he wants to feed, house sparrows are a no-no for me. So I did a little research and tried to figure out a way I could get all the other birds to eat at the sunflower seed feeder but deny the food to the house sparrows.
Well, a few weeks ago I concocted a birdfeeder that seems to do the job. It is a circular feeder, meaning birds can perch on it all the way around it. It's probably about 8" in diameter and cost me less than 10 bucks. I cut about 9" pieces of twine and hung them about three inches apart all the way around the feeder, holding them down with the weight of a steel nut or a screw. I duct taped them onto the roof of the feeder. The twine falls a few inches below the feeder's perch. To this day I have had eating at the feeder chickadees, Carolina wrens, nuthatches, tufted titmouse, and cardinals, in other words, just about every kind of bird that would go to the feeder... except house sparrows. The have tried to fly into the feeder but apparently house sparrows need to flap their wings all the way to the perch, and the twines are too close together to allow them to do that. The cardinals are bigger than the house sparrows but yet they succeed, although it sometimes takes them a couple of tries. All the other birds I listed will fly right onto the feeder and have a sunflower seed meal. The house sparrows are relegated to eating shells off the ground. The feeder is almost something I feel like I could patent except that somebody else in the history of birdfeeders as surely made the same thing. Anyway, if you have birdfeeders and do not like house sparrows eating all your bird seed, give it a try.
I would love to leave a photo but apparently I cannot simply upload one here but instead have to create a 2nd website and download the photo there. That's a little more than I want to do and I'd probably do it wrong anyway and get frustrated.
Not that it matters much anymore but house sparrows are not native to America (neither are starlings). So they carry the somewhat negative tag of a non-native species. In my neighborhood they are numerous and house sparrows are aggressive, so many of the other birds are hesitant to go to the feeder. Sometimes the feeder has had five or six house sparrows on the perch and there is no room for any other birds, let alone any other species. I would guess that the sparrows were eating something like 80-90% of the seeds. It's not just about disapproving of house sparrows, it is also about wanting to have a feeder that is inviting to a variety of bird species.
I think there is value in all birds, especially a songbird like the sparrow but I understand your viewpoint of wanting to see native birds at your feeder.
Would love to see a picture of this, it sounds intriguing.
How did you come up with the idea?
There you go... an $8 birdfeeder purchased at Home Depot, $2 worth of twine, and a buck's worth of screws and nuts to put weight on the twine. I already had the duct tape to tape the twine. I'm not sure if the color purple is required for the twice but probably not. I do not have to battle against starlings and a few other such birds so I do not know how well it will work against them. The birdfeeder is also accessible to a couple of varieties of woodpecker.
There you go... an $8 birdfeeder purchased at Home Depot, $2 worth of twine, and a buck's worth of screws and nuts to put weight on the twine. I already had the duct tape to tape the twine. I'm not sure if the color purple is required for the twice but probably not. I do not have to battle against starlings and a few other such birds so I do not know how well it will work against them. The birdfeeder is also accessible to a couple of varieties of woodpecker.
Interesting that that works. I do hate feeding good seed to those darn house sparrows!
Now, can you come up with something to deter the sqirrels?
Interesting that that works. I do hate feeding good seed to those darn house sparrows!
Now, can you come up with something to deter the sqirrels?
The feeder hangs on what is called a shepherd's hook, there is this cone-shaped barrier on the shaft of the shepherd's hook about two feet in diameter that is too high for the squirrels to jump over it. The shepherd's hook has to be placed away from any trees or fences that would allow the squirrels a jumping perch. I think they are called "squirrel baffles". You could get the entire set-up for about $25-$30, not counting seed.
The feeder hangs on what is called a shepherd's hook, there is this cone-shaped barrier on the shaft of the shepherd's hook about two feet in diameter that is too high for the squirrels to jump over it. The shepherd's hook has to be placed away from any trees or fences that would allow the squirrels a jumping perch. I think they are called "squirrel baffles". You could get the entire set-up for about $25-$30, not counting seed.
You should totally patent that thing. A genuine sparrow-proof squirrel-proof feeder. The world has been waiting a long time!
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