Tree Sparrows

bee warrior · #1 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 04:27 PM

I have been very fortunate over the last few weeks to have up to 30 tree sparrows in my garden, apparently feeding on something in/on the lawn. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be? Its not the bird seed as the TS are not under the feeders, the lawns are not fertilised or anything like that so are full of weeds. Any ideas. Im intrigued.

artdemole · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 04:53 PM

Insects and or Wild Flower Seeds are most likely.

Dogghound · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 06:00 PM

They feed quite heavily on grass seeds so this is almost certainally what they are feeding on. Most grass is in seed or ending its seed season at the moment.

RKB · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 07:22 PM

Don't imagine there's much grass seed in a lawn (it never gets to flower, let alone set seed), so how about emerging ants?

Dogghound · #5 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKB

Don't imagine there's much grass seed in a lawn (it never gets to flower, let alone set seed)

How can you tell? the OP never states how the lawn is managed. The lawn in my garden is cut and still seeds, depends how regular and how closely cropped it is.

aeshna5 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-09-2010, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

How can you tell? the OP never states how the lawn is managed. The lawn in my garden is cut and still seeds, depends how regular and how closely cropped it is.

Yes, plenty of lawns near me have lots of flowering (+ seeding) plants, especially yellow composites such as hawkbits in them. The OP stressed they had a weedy lawn, so isn't intensively managed.