Save The House Sparrows (STHS)

[ChicknsRock]

House sparrows should be allowed to reproduce freely- on their own turf.

Bluebirds and others nearly went extinct because of them. If it were not from people destroying the nest, bluebirds and other species would be history by now. They need to go (in America anyway.)

There's something about looking into a nest box and seeing 6 almost-ready-to-fledge chickadee nestlings that have been pecked to death by a male House Sparrow that makes one feel a little less than charitable toward the species . . . .

I assume that you two agree with the killings of house sparrows. I know that they can be a little feisty to other birds, but that is nature. House sparrows happen to be at the top of the pecking order. Nature is perfect; it is only when us humans interfere that it is messed up. If we stay out of it, bluebirds, chickadees and sparrows will survive.
As I heard in a video, 'Animals do not need us to survive. They can live without us.'
@DurhamDuck : Eastern Bluebirds did not nearly become extinct because of house sparrows. It was when their habitat was being destroyed that they started declining, which was when people started putting out bluebird boxes.

I will have to put up a bird house I have been meaning to put up, and hope a house sparrow takes it!

That's great! We have a family of house sparrows in one of our houses.

 

[Bunnylady]

Quote: And yet here you are, advocating that people step in to help the sparrows.

Please do not put words in my posts; I didn't say anything about killing sparrows, only that I have personally observed one pointlessly killing the young of a native species (I mean, seriously, what was he going to do? Build a nest on top of the corpses?). If someone in Europe wants to encourage them, I have no problem with that. If you want to have them in your yard, that's your business. They are handsome little birds, but I rank them as what they are, an invasive species, and put them at the same level as feral cats when it comes to needing protection (and before you decide that that must mean that I'm a cat hater, I have a cat sleeping on the couch beside me as I type this, and there are two more sitting in the window across the room).

Any animal where it doesn't belong can be a nuisance, and sparrows certainly qualify. Even when you take native birds out of the equation, they can still be a pest. Anybody with a warehouse around here has a problem with sparrows; they nest in the rafters and strew nesting material and poop all over the materials stored there. Not a major economic loss or health hazard, perhaps, but a mess nonetheless. If you like the little guys, fine, put up your bird houses, but I think you could find something more worthy of your passion.

 

[ChicknsRock]

And yet here you are, advocating that people step in to help the sparrows.

Please do not put words in my posts; I didn't say anything about killing sparrows, only that I have personally observed one pointlessly killing the young of a native species (I mean, seriously, what was he going to do? Build a nest on top of the corpses?). If someone in Europe wants to encourage them, I have no problem with that. If you want to have them in your yard, that's your business. They are handsome little birds, but I rank them as what they are, an invasive species, and put them at the same level as feral cats when it comes to needing protection (and before you decide that that must mean that I'm a cat hater, I have a cat sleeping on the couch beside me as I type this, and there are two more sitting in the window across the room).

Any animal where it doesn't belong can be a nuisance, and sparrows certainly qualify. Even when you take native birds out of the equation, they can still be a pest. Anybody with a warehouse around here has a problem with sparrows; they nest in the rafters and strew nesting material and poop all over the materials stored there. Not a major economic loss or health hazard, perhaps, but a mess nonetheless. If you like the little guys, fine, put up your bird houses, but I think you could find something more worthy of your passion.

When a species of birds is declining, yes, they do need our help. What I meant was is that sparrows are mean to other birds, but they are not going to hurt the population of them.

And I was not putting words in your posts. From what you said it sounded like you did agree with it. And I'm sure house sparrows have a reason for killing other species, just as other animals have reasons for killing other animals species. It's part of the food chain. Maybe house sparrows are controlling the population of other birds? Maybe if we didn't have house sparrows and blue jays and crows we would be swarmed with too many bluebirds, and then with too many bluebirds they wouldn't leave enough food for other birds. Think about it.

Maybe house sparrows should have never been brought here. But they have, and that's no reason for them to decline. And it's not just the house sparrow that eats out of warehouses, but also other native species. And so what if they poop all over stuff? That doesn't make them bad.

If you choose to hate sparrows, fine. I can't do anything about it.

 

[Stacykins]

I am just fine with an invasive species that is in decline in a place where it is invasive. They were released here in the U.S. for a pretty ridiculous reason, so it will be a good day when they're finally gone. Not that that will happen, they are a tenacious species.

Seriously, you need to actually read up on native species if you think we'd be overrun with bluebirds if house sparrows were gone. I'm just glad most folks abhor them as an invasive species and have created habitats to encourage native species rather than invasive ones.

 

[ChicknsRock]

I am just fine with an invasive species that is in decline in a place where it is invasive. They were released here in the U.S. for a pretty ridiculous reason, so it will be a good day when they're finally gone. Not that that will happen, they are a tenacious species.

Seriously, you need to actually read up on native species if you think we'd be overrun with bluebirds if house sparrows were gone. I'm just glad most folks abhor them as an invasive species and have created habitats to encourage native species rather than invasive ones.

You don't know who you're talking to, do you? I am a bird-watcher with years of experience and knowledge. I don't need a lesson on bluebirds. My yard is overflowing with both the species, and with plenty of birdhouses both, including Carolina Chickadees, have nested and raised successful families.

 

[PrettyHorsez]

I agree with you @ChicknsRock I like this thread

 

[ChicknsRock]

I agree with you @ChicknsRock I like this thread

Thank you PrettyHorsez.

 

[PrettyHorsez]

Thank you PrettyHorsez. 

No problem

 

[roostersandhens]

I don't think the murder of any animal is good.

 

[ChicknsRock]

Exactly.