How Do I Deter House Sparrows?

Minimizing Sparrows

 You can find House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) most places where there are houses (or other buildings), and few places where there aren’t. Along with two other introduced species, the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), these are some of our most common birds. Their constant presence outside our doors makes them easy to overlook, and their tendency to displace native birds from nest boxes causes some people to resent them. The House Sparrows are very prolific parents and by late summer often dominate feeders of all types in great numbers and prevent the other small birds from accessing the feeders. House Sparrows eat mostly grains and seeds, as well as corn, oats, wheat, sorghum, grass seed, ragweed, buckwheat, millet, milo and insects.

The House Sparrows small size means that it can squeeze through the 1½” spaces on feeder cages and do not close the feeder ports. Unfortunately, there are no feeders that are House Sparrow proof; but discouraging them from your feeders is not impossible if you know their weaknesses.
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Here are our 4 Rules for Keeping out House Sparrows

1. Feed Seed Blends Without Millet and Cracked Corn: Many bird seed blends from other stores include “filler” ingredients such as millet, cracked corn, milo, wheat and oats in large quantities. “Filler” ingredients such as wheat and oats are not eaten by any of backyard birds except House Sparrows, Rock Pigeons (or just plain old Pigeons as most people know them) and Mourning Doves. Corn and millet are eaten by some birds but when used in large quantities to fill up a bag of seed to drive the cost down most of it ends up being wasted because feeder birds such as finches and chickadees throw it on the ground in search of sunflower seeds. Seeds dropped on the ground in great quantities can attract House Sparrows. Bottom line good quality blends can help keep House Sparrows away from your bird feeders. None of our WBU Blends include cracked corn; but we do sell it on its own for feeding jays, doves etc.
Millet is small and an easy seed for House Sparrows to crack with their beak and eat. Millet also generally ends up on the ground. In WBU Blends we use millet in small amounts with the intention of it being thrown onto the ground for doves, native sparrows and other ground feeding birds. House Sparrows are very comfortable feeding on the ground and millet just encourages them to hang around.
Feeding seed blends with pure edible ingredients such as black oil sunflower seeds, safflower and peanuts will help to discourage birds dumping seeds on the ground for House Sparrows to find.

2. Feed Seeds with Shells: House Sparrows are lazy birds and prefer to eat seeds without shells than to crack open a seed. Feeding a bird seed blend or straight seeds with shells will help to deter House Sparrows from your feeders. While House Sparrows will eat sunflower seeds, safflower seeds and peanuts with shells they prefer to take the easy route and eat sunflower chips, peanuts and other shelled seed.

3. Offer Other Bird Foods that House Sparrows Tend to Avoid: There are some foods that House Sparrows will typically leave alone including Nyjer® (thistle), seed cakes, peanuts in the shell, and nectar. Offering these foods can help encourage the backyard birds you want to see while discouraging House Sparrows.

4. Use Feeders that discourage House Sparrows: House Sparrows prefer feeding on the ground or on feeders that can accommodate both of their feet such as hopper feeders and tray feeders. They will feed from feeders with perches as well, but do prefer a flat feeding space. House Sparrows are not adapted to clinging and feeding so feeders that require birds to cling work the best.