House Sparrows are among the most familiar birds in the world. The tendency of these birds to live near humans has earned them many fans, but they also have plenty of enemies thanks to their sinister natures. So, why are House Sparrows bad? Moreover, what can people do to get rid of House Sparrows?
Don’t worry, this article will take an in-depth look at the facts and myths about House Sparrow behavior. After reading this article, you can decide for yourself if House Sparrows should be considered good or bad birds. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Are House Sparrows Bad?
There is a sizable collection of people who believe that House Sparrows are bad. This is seemingly a strong stance to take, but are these feelings warranted? Let’s investigate the primary reasons behind these feelings. Why are House Sparrows bad?
The main reason why people consider House Sparrows to be bad birds is due to their naturally aggressive behavior. House Sparrows nest in tree cavities and birdhouses, and they’ll do anything to find a place to nest. These birds are so aggressive in their pursuit of nesting locations that they’ll often injure or kill other birds in fights over nesting locations. In addition to their aggressive behavior,
Those who care about the native birds around them likely consider House Sparrows to be bad. However, the harm that House Sparrows cause to other birds is not enough for some people to dislike them. Therefore, are House Sparrows bad for humans?
Are House Sparrows Bad For Humans?
There’s no doubt that House Sparrows are bad news for other birds in many cases. However, some people will only be compelled to take action against if an issue directly impacts them. Therefore, we must ask the question, “Are House Sparrows bad for humans?”.
Yes, House Sparrows are bad for humans! Although some invasive species don’t directly impact humans, House Sparrows can’t claim to have a negligible impact on humans. So, why are House Sparrows bad for humans? Well, House Sparrows are a nuisance to humans in a variety of ways, as they construct sloppy nests in human structures, make messes at bird feeders, and cause crop damage due to their seed-eating nature.
Are Sparrows Aggressive To Humans?
By now I’ve presented a compelling argument about why House Sparrows are bad to humans. The damages that these birds cause are enough to convince most that they’re bad birds in many cases. However, some wonder if House Sparrows pose a threat to human safety. Are sparrows aggressive to humans?
No, sparrows do not tend to show aggression to humans. Although they’ve got no problem bullying smaller birds, they aren’t so tough when they’re faced with an opponent for is far larger than them.
Of course, a House Sparrow isn’t going to be happy with someone who tries to remove their nest, but they won’t retaliate against humans like an Australian Magpie would. The worst they will do is frantically chirp and flutter nearby.
Ultimately, there’s no question that House Sparrows are damaging to both other wildlife and humans. Now, before you start looking up how to get rid of House Sparrows, keep reading as I discuss all perspectives in the “Are House Sparrows bad?” debate.
Are House Sparrows Invasive?
An invasive species is an organism that is introduced to a new environment where it causes ecological damage. So, are House Sparrows invasive?
As it turns out, House Sparrows are the ultimate invasive species. House Sparrows are native to places such as Europe, northern Africa, India, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. However, these birds can now be found just about anywhere in the world.
Therefore, House Sparrows are indeed invasive in places like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The fact that these birds are invasive in so many places means that native birds have not evolved to live with them. This means that other cavity-nesting birds in areas in which these birds are invasive stand little chance of competing with House Sparrows.
Are All House Sparrows Bad?
You may be developing a strong dislike of House Sparrows at this point in the article. Why do House Sparrows kill other birds and do additional terrible things?
Well, now is a good time to remind readers that not all House Sparrows are bad. Let’s take a moment to try to understand House Sparrow behavior. Yes, House Sparrows can be very detrimental to natives birds in countries where they’re invasive. However, in the countries in which these birds are native, they are not bad birds. Although they still make unsightly nests and possess poor feeding habits in these countries, they rarely kill other birds because their counterparts such as tits and blackbirds know how to coexist with them.
Okay, so why do House Sparrows kill birds in countries in which they’re invasive? Well, House Sparrows are certainly problematic in countries in which they aren’t native, but one could make the argument that these creatures did not ask to be introduced into these places. Indeed, humans are responsible for creating such a worldwide problem in the first place. House Sparrows are merely doing what they have naturally evolved to do.
Therefore, whether any House Sparrows are truly bad depends on how you view the situation in which we find ourselves. Alas, there’s no denying that these birds have become major problems in many of the places where they now live.
If you’re part of the camp who views House Sparrows are bad, then chances are you’ll want to get rid of these birds. Keep reading as I describe how to get rid of House Sparrows.
How To Get Rid Of House Sparrows
Now that you know that House Sparrows are capable of killing native songbirds, your opinions of them may have changed. You may even be interested in hearing about how to get rid of House Sparrows. Whereas those interested in getting rid of birds like blackbirds can’t do much to mitigate their presence, landowners can do whatever they’d like to House Sparrows in North America.
Alas, like it or not, House Sparrows are here to stay in most areas in which they have been introduced. Although their populations are declining across most of their range, it seems unlikely that House Sparrows can be eradicated in areas that they’ve colonized.
Several reasons explain why it’s so hard to eliminate these birds:
- Versatile natures means that they’re capable of living in a variety of locations
- Highly adaptable diets
- Aggressive behavior means that they can outcompete most other birds
- High breeding abilities allow them to lay lots of eggs and several clutches per year
Understanding House Sparrow Behavior
House Sparrows, are essentially a nightmare invasive species thanks to the impressive array of traits that they possess. They tend to nest earlier than most native songbirds in the places in which they’ve been introduced, giving them a head start and an edge over other cavity nesters.
Additionally, this means that House Sparrows can choose the premier nesting sites, leaving only poor, dangerous nesting sites for other birds that nest in cavities. Those birds that do nest around the same time as House Sparrows are rarely as aggressive, meaning that they stand little chance of defending a nest site from a House Sparrow.
This seemingly paints a bleak picture for native cavity-nesting birds, but is all hope lost? Let’s examine some facts about House Sparrows and consider some solutions to the problems that they cause.
Why Do House Sparrows Kill Other Birds?
We’ve established that House Sparrows are known to mercilessly attack native birds that attempt to defend cavities from them. What can be done to prevent this, and how can we protect native birds? Moreover, why do House Sparrows kill other birds in cold blood without shedding a single tear?
Competition between House Sparrows and their native counterparts can be intense before the breeding season. After all, securing a safe nesting sight means the difference between successful breeding and a failed nesting season. Therefore, the first thing that a landowner should do if they want to help native birds is to create an abundance of nesting sights. This means that bird lovers should build or buy several birdhouses to put on their properties.
If there are enough birdhouses for all birds, then House Sparrows and natives won’t need to fight over a certain house. Unfortunately, this doesn’t solve the problem of having House Sparrows around in the first place.
House Sparrows And Their Remarkable Breeding Abilities
Of course, providing lots of birdhouses will only bolster House Sparrow numbers in an area. Therefore, landowners will have to find ways to reduce the number of these birds. This can be accomplished using several methods.
Direct trapping of House Sparrows gets right to the problem. Those who wish to limit the number of these animals can purchase sparrow traps. These contraptions come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but putting them out by bird feeders is a good way to capture these birds.
If you do attempt to trap House Sparrows, make sure that you do not accidentally trap the similar-looking House Finch.
A sneakier way of minimizing House Sparrow numbers involves destroying their eggs. This sounds simple, but it takes a bit of finesse to pull off such a feat. You see, House Sparrows will simply lay additional eggs in their nests if their first clutch is removed.
Instead, you can take all House Sparrow eggs in a nest and shake them up. Don’t destroy the eggs – just shake them enough to kill the embryos within. You can then return the eggs to the nest so the female continues to incubate them.
Another tactic involves destroying the eggs in the nest and replacing them with wooden eggs. If you choose to do this, be sure that you replace the exact number of eggs that you destroyed.
Are House Sparrows Protected?
You may be hesitant to destroy House Sparrow eggs or kill adults if you have uncertainty about the protections afforded to these birds. Luckily, it’s easy to know if House Sparrows are protected in a given country. A good rule of thumb is to assume that these creatures will be protected in countries in which they’re native. On the other hand, House Sparrows will not be protected in nations in which they’re introduced.
Should I Kill House Sparrows?
Now that you’ve read about the distasteful habits of House Sparrows and learned that they aren’t protected in countries to which they’re not native, you may consider taking action against House Sparrows. Indeed, some may ask themselves, “Should I kill House Sparrows?”.
Taking the life of another creature is never a decision to be taken lightly. Ultimately, killing House Sparrows is a personal decision for individuals to make. Some benefits of killing House Sparrows may include greater native bird prosperity in your area, a cleaner yard, and less money spent on bird seed. Meanwhile, there are no consequences that people can suffer for killing these birds in countries to which they aren’t native.
How To Deter House Sparrows?
Some may wish to deter House Sparrows rather than actively try to reduce their numbers. Fortunately, there are ways to accomplish this. First, consider that a bird cannot flourish if it does not have suitable habitat. Therefore, those who live in forested areas or places devoid of much vegetation should not expect to have House Sparrows around them.
People interested in deterring House Sparrows will also want to ensure that their yards aren’t unlimited buffets. This means that birdseed mixes should not be offered until a yard is cleared of House Sparrows. Instead, provide black oil sunflower seeds, thistle, nyjer, grape jelly, oranges, and hummingbird nectar. This will allow you to attract native birds like goldfinches, hummingbirds, and orioles while deterring House Sparrows.
Some claim that House Sparrows can be deterred by hanging string or fishing lines near areas in which they congregate. These materials are supposedly startling to them, but this tactic is not always reliable.
Conclusion
So, are House Sparrows bad? Well, this is entirely dependent on your perspective. Those who live in areas in which House Sparrows are native probably don’t view them as bad. On the other hand, bird lovers in places that have invasive House Sparrows probably view them as bad birds. So, why are House Sparrows bad in such areas?
Remember, they perform unfavorable actions such as killing native birds and making messes wherever they go. Luckily, those who live in places with invasive House Sparrows can take action against these birds.