Predator Control

SNAKES

OWLS

RACCOONS

HAWKS

FALCONS

CROWS
GULLS

ROADRUNNERS

SQUIRRELS

NEST ROBBERS

CATS

HUMANS


What is a Predator?

"One that preys, destroys, or devours"

The predators can be broken into two categories. Ground & Air. The good news is, that for the most part , there are steps that can be taken to prevent attacks from certain predators. Also, depending on where you live, some of these knows predators may not even be in your general area. If they are, knowing ahead of time what to look for, as well as taking steps to prevent attacks will be worth their weight in gold.

"The most common reason martins abandon their colony site is because predators have raided their nests. It only takes one foray up a martin pole by a snake, raccoon, or squirrel, or a few visits by an owl, hawk or crow, to cause all the surviving birds to abandon the site. Landlords who don't conduct weekly nest checks may never know martins, nestlings, or eggs are disappearing. All martin poles (wooden or metal) can easily be climbed by predators and should be equipped with pole-guards. Martin houses that have become regular targets for hawks, owls, or crows should be equipped with owl guards. Landlords should be alert for evidence of predation (e.g. dropped owl feathers, plucked martin feathers, chewed-off martin wings, etc.) under martin housing."
                                                                                  exert taken from P.M.C.A. article

GROUND PREDATORS

Ground predators, are just that, predators that attack bird nests from the ground. It can be a Raccoon that tries to climb a pole to get at some fresh eggs.. or a snake that tries to do the same. Cats, believe it or not, are some of the worst culprits killing more than 3 million song birds each year. Some people, usually kids, can think its "cool" to mess with native birds nests. These reasons, as well as many more I have not mentioned, make it important to have proper placement and "predator guards" on any of your bird housing. There are a number of resources who provide housing 'accessories' for ground predators.



These accessories are pole guards and entrance hole guards which are a MUST if you plan on housing native birds. If you are crafty enough, you can even build your own. You can start with the P.M.C.A. for Purple Martins. For Bluebirds and tree Swallows, I would start with the N.A.B.S. The North American Bluebird Society page also has plans to build your own pole guard. If you have cats outdoors, please keep a collar on them with a bell, this will hinder their ability to ambush a unsuspecting bird.

AIR PREDATORS

Air predators are flying birds that prey on bird species. Owls & Hawks are the most common. The best thing to do here is be prepared. These native birds are beautiful in their own way and play in important role in our eco system. Unfortunately, there birds also will pray on what's available to them. If you have a large Purple Martin colony, this will no doubt attract them to your yard, if you don't have them already. Owl guards should be placed on your Martin housing after you have a nesting pair.

The most destructive of air predators is the House Sparrow and European Starling. These two bird species are "non-native" and therefore are two species who can be "legally" trapped and killed... This should tell you something. They will attack and kill a full grown Bluebird, Tree Swallow or Purple Martin as well as eggs and young. If you cannot stomach ridding your yard of these non-native pests then this hobby is not for you. 'Passive control" is NOT an option. Trapping and releasing these birds somewhere else is the equivalent to dumping your garbage on your neighbors lawn. The worst thing to a Martin or a Bluebird enthusiast is to see unmanaged houses that are breeding them. Nothing makes us cringe more or our blood run cold. An unmanaged Bluebird or Purple Martin house is an invitation to die by one of these pests. Below are pictures of what we (landlords) like to call "S&S"

FEMALE HOUSE SPARROW
MALE HOUSE SPARROW
EUROPEAN STARLING

There are some very good online resources available with methods and products for S&S control. For Bluebird boxes, probably the most widely used  trap is the Huber Trap. (make your own) I personally have had excellent results with this trap. The NABS also has a great page with more detail on House Sparrow control. For Purple Martins, the PMCA sells traps. I am sure there are even more than this, but I tend to turn to the best known and respected sources for information. I STRONGLY suggest obtaining a field guide to birds in your region. Many birds you may trap are 'native' and are therefore protected by law. A field guide lets you identify the bird and then decide whether he/she should be eliminated or let go. This is also just a good idea in general. If nothing else, you learn what birds are in your region. Yes, this will be a never ending battle... but one worth fighting.

My very first Bluebird nest was attacked and all of their eggs were pecked open in an attempt to take over the nest by a House Sparrow. This happened not once... but twice to the same pair before I was able to trap the male. I have heard many stories like these, many stories even worse than my own. Every time I do, it simply motivates me more to educate people on these destructive birds. The average person has no idea what a Sparrow or Starling even is... let alone what they can do. It wasn't until I became involved in this hobby that I myself became aware. I had seen them before of course, heck I even FED them. Now that I know better, I am doing all I can to help our native birds recoup from their declining numbers... no matter how small my efforts are. Trapping and/or shooting the S&S will not guarantee your birds will not be attacked, but it will give them a fighting chance.

This poor little adult male Tree Swallow was found dead on my Bluebird trail. He was unmercifully attacked by a House Sparrow. His beak was crushed, his eyes pecked out & a large hole was pecked into the top of his head. These are all tell tale signs of common House Sparrow attacks.
This poor little Bluebird fledgling baby was attacked in a Bluebird Box by a House Sparrow in 2004. Luckily his injuries were not life threatening and the rest of his 4 brothers & sisters were unharmed. Apparently mom or dad Bluebird must have stopped the attack before anyone was killed.

Below are some great links to sites with S&S traps available.


We are Floyd and Marty Van Ert - active members of the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) and it's affiliates. We have accumulated considerable information related to successful nest box designs and predator deterrents and are willing to act as a resource related to bluebird recovery efforts.


Within the following page, you can learn how to make a smaller version of the S&S trap, make it specifically for the sparrows and then put it right in the middle of your colony.  Now, that's not saying that it has to go there, but that's just one of the options.  It can just as easily be hung under the eaves of a building or on a stand alone pole or where ever you want to put it...This can also work for Bluebirds.


Whether your trap uses food or a potential nest site as the lure, most repeating designs use a simple "lever" as the mechanism. Basically speaking, the Sparrow or Starling is lured into the trap where he then steps onto one end of a carefully balanced lever. The weight of the bird drops him down to a lower level where, in a panic, the victim darts out through any escape route he can find. This "escape route" is a one way door into a holding pen. Once the weight of the bird is off the counterbalanced lever, it returns to is normal position awaiting it's next victim. The capacity for such a design is limited only by the size of the holding pen. There are dozens of very good repeating traps designed using this same general principal. The NB-Compact works using this same age old design.


The Z-Trap is a large scale trapping device used in rural areas where Starlings are abundant. Its design in based on the V-Trap with modifications.


Information on the maker Andrew Troyer and how to obtain plans to make your own. The V-Trap can trap over a 100 Starlings and Sparrows a day for best bird control. This web site sells pre-built traps. The V-Trap trap is perfect for farming land and rural areas. Contact "THE BIRDS' PARADISE" at  814-587-3879 for more info or to request a catalog.

NEST BOX COMPETITORS

The best thing to do for other "native" birds that also compete for housing, such as House Wrens,  Chickadee & Titmouse, is to research into their preferred housing and offer this to them. Plug up the hole in the housing you want occupied by Bluebirds or Purple Martins and wait for the other species to take to their designated housing. Then re-open the PM or BB housing. This way they settle into their own boxes and stay away from your Purple Martin or your Bluebird housing. To truly keep on top of these potential problems, it is widely recommended that you conduct 'weekly nest checks' for PM's and BB's.

It is also recommended that you do a complete 'nest replacement' once your baby birds are about 8 days old. It is always best to replace the nest with the same material the original nest was made with, or as close as you can. Go here for detailed information on PM nest replacement . By doing this you control parasites in the nesting material such as blowflies and mites.

The Hunter Starling Trap

This is a homemade trap from the mind of Larry Hunter. Although he and his wife Pat do "not want to take credit for its invention" according to a Nature Society News article, they have certainly put it on the map. I only recently made this trap with the help of my brother. I have not caught anything as of yet, but I am sure that is to change. Many people I have spoken to have had very good results from this trap. The trap is relatively simple in design and not that expensive to make.

This is a close up of the face. At Pat Hunters advice, I smeared some mud on the front as you can see. I also added a bigger perch and screwed some straw near the hole to make it looked 'lived in'. I spray painted the PVC and box dark green to blend in with my environment better. The hole is 2" in diameter.
This is the inside of the trap's holding compartment on the bottom. The trap is basically a wood box attached to PVC piping with a wood face covering the top elbow to make it appear to be a house. The Starlings enter the top hole and slide down where they cannot get out.

*CURRENTLY BEING MODIFIED*
Wire Sparrow Trap
This trap can be attached to your Purple Martin pole or placed on the ground. In this picture I was able to trap not one, but 2 Starlings. This trap usually does not attract Starlings, so I got lucky. The idea is to bait this with trap bread, so when House Sparrows come looking to nest in your housing, they are lured in for a snack where they are trapped and cannot harm your birds. Again, keep 1 to 2 decoys alive, there is a holding compartment in the center. This can be used year round.

Bluebird Box Trap/Huber
This trap is the most effective Bluebird box trap I have seen. It attaches to the inside of the box with a screw so it is easy to attach and remove. Once I see a male House Sparrow calling for a mate on one of my boxes, I put in the trap. I usually catch them within 20 minutes. It also works if they have already started a nest. You can catch both the female and the male easily. What's nice about this trap is that if you accidentally trap a Tree Swallow or Bluebird, you just let them go. This trap will not harm the birds once tripped. This photo was actually taken after a male Sparrow was trapped. He's in there.

Sparrow Door
The sparrow door is made especially for Trio Castles, from Nature House. Although I do not recommend this style of house, this is one nice add on. The trap fits on like a regular door. The hole size is smaller so the PM's can't get in, but the Sparrows can. Once they enter they trip a wire that releases this orange bar that closes over the entrance hole. You have to be careful with other small birds that can also enter. I have trapped a TS once or twice, but you let them go.

S&S Controller
This is Andrew Troyers design, sold through the PMCA. This is a wood box with only one hole open. The rest are fake to draw attention to it. Once the bird enters the hole with the perch there is a coffee can style device inside with a weight that will drop down. Then there is a hole on the bottom back side of the house that the birds exit through. Once the exit, they drop down this very long PVC style pipe where there is a wire holding cage attached on the bottom.

This is a very elaborate trap and is expensive. You can purchase plans and make it yourself to save some money. At the end of the day though, this trap is WELL worth the time, effort & price. This is  the most effective Starlings trap on the market in my opinion. Mine is located 30' from a tree.

V-Top Trap
This is my metal V-Top Trap by Andrew Troyer. This trap can be made from plans, or bought. There is also a wood version of this model. I chose this metal one from New Haven Traps because this can be broken down in minutes and moved, where some of the others are not easily disassembled and are quit a bit heavier. This trap is ideal in Farm settings and is capable of catching and holding over 200 S&S. The birds jump down the 'V' top (hence the name) and they can't figure out how to get back out.