We have both nesting here. Lucky to have both. However, if you also have both, please think twice before encouraging house sparrows.
Every year, we have conflict where the sparrows are only ever the winners. They destroy martin eggs, kill chicks, and more often than not then reject the newly won nest.....and move onto a different one.....
The 'red status' is highly controversial. I find it ridiculous, misleading and bereft of common sense that house sparrows are ranked 'red' and house martins 'amber'. Yes, I know the formula for working out what goes where in rankings. To rank house martins alongside wood pigeons, and even species like avocet that are booming, is hard to justify at best.
Ignore the currently ongoing claim that reasons for house martin decline are 'unknown' or 'unclear'. It is patently obvious to those who have first hand experience, as opposed to those employed by organisations with no first hand experience, that breeding failure is a major factor. Surveys fail to pick up causes of nest failure. A sparrow popping into a martin nest and killing young and destroying eggs won't get recorded as anything other than unknown nest failure. It is basic common sense that, for example, 10 returning adults producing 10 fledglings a year (random number and here it's always been fewer). Several of those 10 adults will be predated by magpies and sparrowhawks. The growing hobby population, incl in this area aren't going to help either and probably another adult or two from the ten will die on its return to Africa.
Please think twice before encouraging house sparrows (and magpies & great spotted woodpeckers for that matter).
I think the various nest box sellers should reconsider offering house sparrow terrace nests - including the RSPB website who even have a special offer on them !! As you say, I don't think the "red" status should be listed for sparrows as it is misleading and tends to encourage people to add the multi-boxes for sparrows thinking they are helping the species out. Our visiting House Martins/Swifts/Swallows need urgent help as their numbers are dwindling due in huge part to sparrow activity. Let's at least start by removing the sparrow terrace nesting boxes off the rspb website. A more detailed and accurate report needs to be done on house martin nest failures and the various reasons for that.
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Regards, Hazel
I tend to agree. I do think giving sparrows help in urban areas is fair enough. The problem I think is that much 'bird help' is happening in the wrong places, or at least in the least beneficial places. More disposable income potentially, gardens etc. Areas with house martins probably don't need to be feeding sparrows anyway as there could well be enough natural food for them anyway. They eat all sorts! Nest sites can be a slight issue, but here, several sparrow nests have been in dense hedging/leafy boundaries. They don't need nest boxes.....or martin cups!
"but here, several sparrow nests have been in dense hedging/leafy boundaries."
And I thought it was only me that had seen that...
(Nests and roosts in a dense holly - until the holly curled its toes up due to massive root disturbance).
At which point the spadgers may have gone looking for a new place?
stealthybutnotthatstealthy said:The problem I think is that much 'bird help' is happening in the wrong places, or at least in the least beneficial places.
I fully agree, and I've still a lot to learn.
Society pampers to the 'whims' without thinking things through, and it is breaking that 'naivety' (if that's the right word) and showing the real bigger picture.
Hopefully I've got that out right....
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler