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Who has a colony of house sparrow and are they a "natural" colony under the eves or did you encourage them using a nest box?
My aunt has a colony of house sparrows under the eves of her roof, they were there when she moved into the house and after she started feeding them they really seemed to thrive with a good few fledglings appearing this year (she tried offering livefood but they weren't interested - the adults simply ate the seeds and then went to the hedges and trees to search for insects). I think there are around 6-10 breeding pairs but it is hard to tell just how many there are and they are all at the end of the house in a small area. And of course will have to wait and see how well they make it through the winter!
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi KatTai
I have a House Sparrow colony living in my 'small compact' front garden at the moment
They where there when we moved in July 2009. We use a window feeder to encourage them to feed. Plus a scattering of food to keep them happy. They have not used the window feeder though the resident Robin is happy to tuck in all of the time.
They like to stop of on the house roof too for a view of the situation.
The flock is of near 12 birds at the moment, and they love one dense bush and are never away from it at all.
I think it is getting a habitat that they like, and the more dense the bush the better. Privet hedges are another favourite. Anywhere they can hide from prediters (Sparrowhawks) and anything else that worries them at all.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
From the moment I began feeding the birds in late Spring last year a whole colony arrived from I know not where. There were between 30 and 40, mostly recently fledged, with only a few adults. They set up a day time home in my 7 foot tall and 3 feet thick leylandii hedge, and have been there ever since. I think they roost at night in another leylandii in a nearby garden, which has been allowed to grow tall.
They have thrived so far. This coming Spring will be my first nesting season, so I am hoping they will nest in my garden or very close by. I have put up a sparrow terrace box hoping to encourage them, but so far only blue tits have shown any interest. I have read that sparrows rarely travel more than a couple of hundred yards from where they hatched, and this gives me hope that I have a permanent colony who will live in my garden at least during the day, and who will bring their babies to feed and play during the day.
I provide them with their own feeders close to and also inside the hedge, which they love, although they have abandoned it in favour of another evergreen shrub on the other side of the garden since the snow came. This is odd because they are all still present and still feeding, but on the ground for some very strange reason. It must be something to do with the snow and harsh weather.
Fingers crossed they survive the winter. I am doing all I can to help them. They are such entertaining birds and I love them to bits.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
I used to have a little colony living in my wall - there was a hole in the brickwork (I think it's there for a reason) which they entered by. But each year when nesting season arrived the chicks were constantly travelling too far back into the wall and falling down an air vent, where they would become trapped behind a heavy iron grille. We managed to break the grille off and rescue any that needed it but some of them were still very very young and I'm not sure if they survived once we released them. In the end we decided to place a nestbox over the hole. It has stopped the problem but also drove the sparrows away, sadly. The first year after the nest box was put in place a pair of blue tits raised a brood (which was delightful), the year after that it was uninhabited, and last year sparrows returned and nested, but I don't know if they belonged to the old lot, as it were.
We have a colony of around 30-40 House Sparrows living in the conifers to the side of our back garden. I'm none too specific with the numbers I'm afraid because they most I counted out at anyone time was 32, but they come and go so much its hard to keep track!
These two conifers are quite large (I'd say 10x4 feet each) and they nest in there, I have put them their own feeders (4, with a total of 20 ports) out by them and they're more than happy. In fact they love a dust bath too behind the olive bush! Its hilarious to watch them :o)
We have a Sparrow nest box on the side of the house but they've never touched it, I think its too far from the main colony.
We have a colony, I haven't tried to count it but would guess about 40.
They nest under the roof tiles on the older part of our house, they have started to do some damage to the felt and am having to keep an eye on the loft as water is getting through in one place, at present this only involves placing a bucket under it, which needs emptying only about twice a year. I think it is now reaching the point when I need to do something before it gets too bad, hope to come up with a plan that doesn't involve having the roof stripped.
I have put up a sparrow terrace (5 next boxes) but they still prefer the tiles, although a pair of Great Tits made use of one of the sparrow boxes.
Certainly don't want to change the roof too much and leave them homeless.
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag" Mary Poppins
We have about 30. I'm not sure where they nest, but we do have a large leylandii hedge which could be their home. I've also seen them sneaking into the eaves of the house next door, and there's been at least one nest behind the fascia board of our house.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Hi We have a large colony they live in a ivy covered tree at the front of my house, they make a lot of noise at dust.
I like to watch them go in, no idea how many there are, but they can be very loud. :-)
Hey farmer, farmer, put away the D.D.T now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!
While sitting in the conservatory with a coffee this morning and listening to the Sparrows chattering away from the conifers next to it I felt incredibly lucky to be sharing my life with them. They're a lovely little bird that's full of character yet sadly in decline and sometimes overlooked because its not a more striking colour.
I wouldn't be without 'my' colony :o)
Oh how I agree with you Paul. I could listen to my sparrows all day, and watch their antics in and out of the conifer and privet hedges, I bought them a new feeder yesterday, a flat one attached to the fence where they queue up, and they are already using it. I can hear them now from my office -through double glazed windows! I feel very priviledged to be a small part of their lives. However, have you ever watched them through binoculars?
The first time I looked at sparrows in my garden through binoculars I was amazed at their lovely colouring - golden browns, white, beautiful streaking. ot dull and boring at all. I would be devastated if they left me.
Have you ever wondered why my nickname is Sparrow!!
I know what you mean about double glazing Sparrow - you can hear them all through our house! When they all get going they're positively deafening but I love it :o) Actually I've heard them when I've been in the street, lol!
Yes, the Sparrows are beautiful through binoculars and I must confess I hadn't noticed before I bought a new pair of binoculars and was watching them how much so they actually are.
Do you watch them in the trees? I do, it makes you feel like you're in on their little lives and to watch them close up when they don't know you're looking you get to see what they're up to.
I don't know about yours Sparrow, but mine never argue or fight and get on remarkably well. They patiently queue for everything! When they use the bird bath as many as 10 get in it and another 10 line up round the outside and wait their turn...not like the Starlings who just fight then all the water ends up on the floor!
Oh, I really could talk about Sparrows all day! lol!