Have you ever boiled or oiled sparrow eggs?

[Peggy Riley]

I have a sparrow problem this year, usually I don't. I think this long winter has caused them to group up and they picked my place!

They've taken over 3 bluebird boxes and one Bo nine gourd. I trap year round but this year have only trapped 1 since Dec. I put up more boxes for the bluebirds and they are nesting but I need to get rid of these pests. I've removed nests to the point that they layed eggs on the bare floors. If I close the boxes they'll just move to another box.

Does anyone know when they start to stay in the box all night? I want to try getting them both at the same time if possible. I have a mesh bag to put over the box but I want to do it at night so I have a better chance of getting the males.

As a last resort I wonder about boiling or putting oil on the eggs. Does that work? What do you do that works? My Hotel California is vacant!

[Louise Chambers]

The females will have to stay on the eggs at night, once incubation begins - so perhaps once clutch is complete (4-6 eggs) is target date for night trapping.

Oiling or boiling eggs so they won't hatch will slow them down, while they incubate those eggs, but it won't stop them - at some point they will lay a new clutch, since they can raise 4-5 clutches per season. But maybe it will give you more time to trap them. They are so persistent!

[Peggy Riley]

Thanks Louise! I've never seen so many here before. Starlings have also been active this year.

Years ago I witnessed the revenge thing and sure don't want that to happen now. I've always thought they were short lived birds but I read they can live to 10 years.

I'll give the night trapping a try.

[TGivens]

Can you trap starling at night

[Peggy Riley]

I bet you can if they are asleep. I still have one that shows up every day. It worries me since I had a breach this year on an old clinger that had been weather worn. I placed a new one right over the old one and fixed that gourd.

It'd be hard to lower a house or rack and not alarm them so that's a problem too. It'd be easier in a BB box.

[TGivens]

Thanks I was thinking I could get a 12 foot ladder an give it a try I thought I saw last night but to nite I did not see one