gss@edsdrd.UUCP (Gary Schiltz) (05/27/88)
I've recently had what is to me an unusual experience with House Sparrows.
My wife and I feed birds quite a bit in our back yard and especially
enjoy black-capped chickadees. Early this spring, we modified a
standard bluebird house for chickadees by putting piece of plywood
over the entrance hole and bored a smaller hole in it (1", I think).
House sparrows tried to use it for a day or so, but quickly gave up
since the hole was too small. Soon after, a pair of chickadees
started investigating, and for one or two weeks, brought beaks full
of moss to the house. After several weeks, we could hear little
sounds coming from inside the house, so I'm sure there are young
chickadees inside.
Soon after we started hearing the young inside, a pair of house
sparrows started harassing the chickadee pair. Both the male and
female sparrow would stand almost constantly on top of the house.
Each would take turns at hanging from the entrance hole and would
try to get in (unsuccessfuly, since the hole was too small).
Meanwhile, the chickadees would buzz the sparrows, trying to drive
them off. The sparrows would occassionally leave, giving the
chickadees time to feed the young, but the sparrows normally came
back after the chickadees had made only one or two trips to feed.
At times, I would go outside and throw a frisbee or tennis ball at
the sparrows to drive them away. When the sparrows left, the
chickadees would immediately come in to feed. Unfortunately, I
couldn't be there constantly to keep the sparrows away. This
harassment went on for about two weeks and abruptly stopped. I
am hoping the chickadees will now be able to successfully raise
their brood in our back yard.
What I wonder is what kept the house sparrows coming back for so
long to try unsuccessfully to get in the chickadee house. The
best I can guess is that the sparrows lost a nest and were
attracted to the sound of baby birds. Does anyone on the net have
any ideas? Has anyone had similar experiences?
--
Gary S. Schiltz - EDS R & D "Have bird will watch ..."
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