Why do Sparrows pass Me By ?

MeadsMan · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 07:28 PM

Hello,hope someone has suggestions.We have two feed stations in the garden,and regular visitors,of Starlings Wood Pigeons,collard Doves,BlackBirds,a Thrush,ect.We Have House Sparrows,that flit around in nearby trees,and other gardens,but the very seldom visit my Bird resturants,can anyone suggest what I can put out to atract them ? The normal menu we use,is Birdseed,Fruit cake,Mealy worms,and Monkey nuts.I would really like to get closer views of them in my garden.

shenk1 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 07:33 PM

We have the same problem . They only come when the weathers really bad (or for some reason good

) and at breeding time when dozens come to the garden for mealworms and anything else they can get their beaks on ,so they must be there but like yours they don't come.
Its got me stumped too but I just enjoy what comes

AshLee · #3 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 07:34 PM

Mine loved a seed mix produced for their kind:
Commercially available House Sparrow food

They are really enjoying sunflower hearts now aswell

They do like their hedge near the feeder, into which they dive for cover now and again.

sunnydale · #4 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshLee

They do like their hedge near the feeder, into which they dive for cover now and again.

Hi MeadsMan,

I agree with Ashlee on this. The Sparrows we have visiting will only use the feeder that is right next to the hedge, no matter what goodies are on offer elsewhere in the garden.

We have occasional visits from a Sparrowhawk and more often than not, he/she leaves without a Sparrow - coz they've all dived into the hedge for cover!

Presuming you have a hedge, try moving one of your stations close to it and see if it makes any difference - although the Sparrows may need a little while to get used to it being there before they actually use it!

Good luck!

Tracey

Cowgirl · #5 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 09:09 PM

Agree with sunnydale, When first read the thread, wondered why anyone would have a problem with the greedy little beggers, but then realised my feeders are also near the hedge.

I have been trying to upload pictures all night into forum images, it says it's been successfully uploaded but when I go to look there's nothing there. Help!

rossy · #6 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 09:56 PM

hello meadsman ashlee is right about the position of the feeders , i have 5 on the washing line approx 5 feet from a prickly bush and the sparrows go in there , 1st sign or alarm call they pile in for cover, if possible move yours its worth a try rossy

SuzieandFlo · #7 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 10:36 PM

A few weeks ago I had only a few House Sparrows feeding in my garden, now there can be around 20 - 30 at a time !

I started puting food on the roof of my shed , which has a cherry laurel growing right up against it. The sparrows would land in the laurel , well hidden among the big leaves, and hop onto the shed roof after a little while. Any sign of danger and they went straight back into the laurel and squashd their bodies flat against the leaves.
Not long after this , they started venturing on to the ground to eat the food I had scattered there.
"My" House Sparrows seem to prefer eating wheat based general mix but also eat the smaller finch mix I put out. I've also seen them , up to 3 or 4 at a time, on my neighbour's peanut feeder.
I don't have any bushes or shrubs in the part of the garden where I scatter food on the ground. There are shrubs and small trees nearby in neighbours gardens though, where they fly off to if they need cover.

Jaeviatrix · #8 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 10:40 PM

Wherabouts are you? We've hardly had any sparrows in our back garden for a couple of years now. They'd happily take from the trays at the bottom of our RSPB "silo" style feeders, on a commercial bird food mix we get from the pet shops, and one or two still do.

Apparantly they also take crumbs from the insides of bread shops in Cuba, if anyone just saw them on Newsnight.

Hope all is good

posie · #9 (**permalink**) 04-03-2010, 09:11 AM

I've been wondering if there is something that one could put up for the sparrows to use as cover if you didn't have any bushes. I can only think of a few bundles of 'pea sticks', the natural twiggy ones, pushed into the ground, lots together so it's thick,they might even take root, that'd be a bonus.) Does anyone else have any ideas? I know there are loads of bushy plants that would suffice, but they'd be expensive if big enough, or smaller ones would take a time to grow bigger.Does anybody have anything in their gardens that the birds use that is not actual planted 'vegetation', that would be easy to copy ?.....Posie...

tiadublin · #10 (**permalink**) 04-03-2010, 07:39 PM

Not sure if this helps, but i have quite a square-ish garden. To the left i have a 5ft fence with small trees lining the fence in next doors garden.
I started putting food on the top of the fence posts because the sparrows seemed to be too scared to go to the feeders at the back of the garden. This has worked really well, because they'll have their food on the fence, dipping in and out of the trees. The doves, starlings, tits etc all go to the feeders and tables.
I have between 20-30 sparrows and they all come out as soon as the back door is open, just to let me know they're hungry!