Undocumented immigrant birds

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Thursday, January 8. 2015

Undocumented immigrant birds

Around here, there are three bird species which annoy the heck out of me. They especially annoy me in winter, because they eat most of the bird food I put out to attract native winter visitors from Canada.

The three are The English Sparrow, aka House Sparrow (really a finch), imported from England

The House Finch (not to be confused with the Purple Finch), imported from southern California and Mexico

and the European Starling, imported from England - no photo needed I am sure. The only good use for these three species is to feed migrating falcons and Sharpies, and to provide target practice for kids with BB guns and .22s.

Posted by Bird Dog in Natural History and Conservation, Our Essays at 16:30 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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Charming I'm sure.

#1 Thud on 2015-01-08 17:00 (Reply)

Bingo. I have to scrub horse's water buckets daily due to #1 excrement.
#3 constantly in the steer's feedtrough.
My vet told me the starlings are responsible for infecting cattle w. W. Nile ( they are carriers but no synptoms) leading to false positives on TB tests.

There used to be good bird poisons but they've been banned. When we'd find nests in the cinderblock walls they got the same treatment rats nests got. Boiling hot bleach water.

#2 fjord on 2015-01-08 17:25 (Reply)

House sparrows don't like safflower seeds.

#3 rhhardin (Link) on 2015-01-08 20:22 (Reply)

Agreed on 1 & 3. Interestingly, since moving to upstate SC (from the midwest), I have never seen either house sparrows or starlings on my property. I love the diversity of birds we have here: woodpeckers (at least 4 species), thrashers, mockingbirds, tufted titmouse, cardinal, chickadee, wren, junco, warblers, bluebirds and various native sparrows all regularly visible and most visit the feeder.

#4 Gordon on 2015-01-08 20:24 (Reply)

House sparrows are found in cities, and also around riding stables and cattle ranches. If there's none of those within a couple of miles, you won't see many house sparrows.

Starlings are city dwellers, period. If you're more than five or so miles from the nearest city, you probably won't see starlings at all.

#5 wolfwalker on 2015-01-08 23:44 (Reply)

I think Gordon is just plain lucky, in my experience starlings and house sparrows can be found anywhere there is a steady supply of food, water, and shelter.

Here in Indiana, most any good sized farm, especially those with livestock, will have it's own indigenous population, sometimes accompanied by a flock of feral pigeons.

#6 Mike on 2015-01-09 09:30 (Reply)

I detest Starlings and I'm increasingly resentful of the damned House Sparrows but I love the little House Finches. Can't imagine why you don't like them. I am considering buying sparrow traps and starling traps to increase the "good' birds that visit my feeders.

#7 Gary Foster on 2015-01-09 10:56 (Reply)

Yes indeed. Agreed on sparrows and starlings and would add the pigeons as well. When I was a kid that they were what we would train our BB guns on, particularly at night in the Winter. Go out in the barn and we could always get a few.

Interesting that the little red finch was able to make the transition to the cold New England climate. Who says that species can't adapt?

#8 feeblemind on 2015-01-09 12:16 (Reply)

Have you seen videos of starling murmurations? The world would be a less joyful place without them.

http://robertbyron22.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/starling-murmurations/

#9 Robert Byron (Link) on 2015-01-09 14:19 (Reply)

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Thursday, January 8. 2015

Undocumented immigrant birds