Invasion of the sparrows

Question

I've been feeding the birds since i moved in to my house in March 08. I started to notice regulars among which were a group of 5 sparrows. This group has grown over the past year to a group of 22 sparrows. I read recently that they can breed up to four times a year so i'm guessing the original 5 have been quite busy My neighbour feeds them too and i presume they're all living in the large connifer between mine and her garden as they often all gather to sunbathe on the hedge, they're never far away. I love that they're there, but i've noticed that all the other regulars have gone. I had around 10 different species coming around at one point but now it's just the one. Could the sparrows be scaring everything away? Am i doing the right thing continuing to feed them? Or do birds just come and go? I'm quite new to this so any advice would be much appreciated.

ffroglet · Answer

In my garden the sparrows seem to encourage rather than scare off other birds, like a safety in numbers thing. 
 It's great to hear that your sparrow numbers are increasing, I've had sparrows breeding in my roof every year for 20 years except this year sadly although they are still around. 
 The numbers of all species visiting me seem to have dropped recently too - I believe because of plenty of natural food available to them 'in the wild' at the moment, such as scattered grain from harvest and hedgerow berries. 
 Continue to put out a variety of food but not so much until you notice numbers increasing again. They'll be back as it gets cooler and be grateful for it :-)

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Squirrel 
 That is sad for you, as they are such sweet little birds. I am sure that you miss having them around. 
 I know that they love Privet Hedges as they are dense and have little space, and light between the branches. Maybe the shrubbines that you provide is not dense enough for them to hide in. 
 Like yourself, I often wonder why that some areas seen to lack Sparrow population. I have heard of some therories that it is the way that people manage their gardens now. Not enough plants and folige for them to survive. Also too much wooden benching and concrete driveways adding to their decline. 
 Another theory is that modern houses do not have the roof space for them to nest in. Sparrows love to nest under roof eves and the design of modern houses have no facility to allow Sparrows to nest in. 
 Have you though of placing Sparrow nesting boxes in your garden area - there are communial nest boxes which are on the market now. I am sure that the RSPB have them. That may help to encourage them at neating time. A lovely des res what more can they ask for - a great house to live in. 
 I am sure that others will add their thoughts, and ideas too. 
 Regards 
 Kathy and Dave

ffroglet · Answer

I highly recommend mealworms. 
 During the breeding season my sparrows were taking as many as possible away to feed their chicks and eating quite a few themselves. Now breeding has finished they are still eating the few that I have left and am putting out - so not completely vegetarian :-) 
 Starlings will always get to them first though and it's great to watch the squabbles, but put some in a dish inside an enclosure (hanging or ground) to stop the bigger birds taking everything

Cirrus · Answer

Squirrel, hi - you most certainly ARE able to buy meal worms (live) in a plastic tub. That's how I buy mine and since I've purchased them from at least two pet shops it must be generally, the 'norm. 
 If you want to find your way back to a particular forum or thread I've found the easiest thing is to Bookmark (Firefox browser) or add to Favourites (Interenet Explorer) and all you need to do is to go up the the very top of your page - I'm using a Firefox browser currently but right at the top is a 'menu' bar. The 'menus' are called: 
 file edit view history bookmarks (so favourites if you are using Internet Explorer) tools help 
 in Internet Explorer the 'menus' are called 
 file edit view history favourites tools help 
 All you need to do is click on Favourites then click on 'Add to Favourites' 
 
 There is a 'Name' bar so type in that something that will be meaningful to you and then click on ADD 
 Initially the 'favourite ' will probably be placed right at the bottom of your Favourite list but you can either click on it and DRAG it to the top of your list OR do a RIGHT click with your mouse (the RIGHT mouse button) somewhere within Favourits (anywhere will do) and a menu will come up that will allow your to sort by name if you click on that your favourites will appear in alphabetical order. 
 
 OK?

Wattle15 · Answer

Squirrel, if you look at the very bottom of this thread, you will see some blue wording which says 'save this topic as a favourite' or something very similar. (I can't see it now, because i'm typing a comment, and I've forgotten the actual wording.) If you click on this, it should save the topic to your 'My Page' under 'favourites'. This is specific to this website and won't show up in your computer favourites, of course!

ffroglet · Answer

Squirrel, if it's of any help my mealworms come in a brown paper bag and I decant them into a fishing bait box to store them. It's a sealed plastic tub but the lid is full of air holes. There's no escape and it's hygienic enought to keep them in my fridge to make them last longer. 
 During the summer I bought a large quantity on special offer and couldn't get them all in my fridge. They ate their way out of the bags and roamed around my house - I was finding them for weeks and eventually the last ones turned into beetles and were much easier to find :-) I found it very funny, theyre quite resilient creatures.

cbizzle · Answer

Thankyou for your replies 
 I'm happy to hear that it's unlikely to be the sparrows keeping other birds at bay. 
 Since i last posted i have seen a robin, a dunnock, three wood pidgeons and a black bird but i have also unfortunately seen a sparrow hawk, once just leaving the garden (empty clawed/beaked thank god) and once on top of the privits where the sparrows like to hang out. I was alerted to it's presence by the terrified shrieks of the sparrows, poor things. I felt so bad for them. Both these sightings were within an hour of each other and i haven't seen it since but i also haven't seen as many sparrows. I hope they're ok :(

cbizzle · Answer

ps - does anyone know how i post without suggesting my post an an answer?