miket@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Mike Trout) (03/23/89)
I live in a very built-up urban area, and about 90% of the birds I see there are Rock Doves (Domestic Pigeons), Starlings, and English Sparrows. Yet I do sometimes see nifty things like finches. I'd like to set up a bird feeding station, but I'm NOT interested in feeding the dull aerial armies of urban North America. Is there some type of food--such as certain types of seed--that English Sparrows, Starlings, and Pigeons will NOT eat? Is there a way to design a station that will exclude these species? I'd be willing to try something even if it excludes many other types as well. But to me, I'd rather not contribute to the City Bird population explosion. If you have any ideas, I'd appreciate it. E-mail rather than (or in addition to) post, as our net feed is in flames and I rarely get to see this group. -- NSA food: Iran sells Nicaraguan drugs to White House through CIA, SOD & NRO. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Trout (miket@brspyr1)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BRS Information Technologies, 1200 Rt. 7, Latham, N.Y. 12110 (518) 783-1161 "God forbid we should ever be 20 years without...a rebellion." Thomas Jefferson
kaufman@maxzilla.Encore.COM (Lar Kaufman) (03/24/89)
In article <5616@brspyr1.BRS.Com> miket@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Mike Trout) writes: > >I live in a very built-up urban area, and about 90% of the birds I see there >are Rock Doves (Domestic Pigeons), Starlings, and English Sparrows. Yet I do >sometimes see nifty things like finches. > >I'd like to set up a bird feeding station, but I'm NOT interested in feeding >the dull aerial armies of urban North America. Is there some type of >food--such as certain types of seed--that English Sparrows, Starlings, and >Pigeons will NOT eat? Lots of luck. These birds will eat just about anything, except the sparrows will have problems with things like chickpeas. >Is there a way to design a station that will exclude >these species? I'd be willing to try something even if it excludes many other >types as well. But to me, I'd rather not contribute to the City Bird >population explosion. This is your best bet. Don't give the birds a large, convenient perch to stand on - that will discourage doves - and a deeply recessed, narrow access to the feeder will discourage the sparrows (but probably not keep them out). Get used to the starlings. They are marvelously efficient birds, capable of filling a broad range of ecological niches. Actually, they are kinda pretty, close up, too. >If you have any ideas, I'd appreciate it. E-mail rather than (or in addition >to) post, as our net feed is in flames and I rarely get to see this group. If you have your feeder far enough away from suitable nesting areas, the sparrows won't bother you. They can find food closer to "home." The rock doves and starlings are much more far-ranging. The only control that really works for them is (do it, do it!) to build a suitable nesting platform on a high point so that falcons can nest near their favorite foods... -lar "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions." - Shakespeare, _Hamlet_ IV, 5 Lar Kaufman <= my opinions kaufman@Encore.com