Do House Sparrows kill? (1 Viewer)

[lapwing1]

With the oncoming Winter, I have had to twice this week intervene with something that I do think would have become fatal.

Once, I was sat at the PC, and high pitched screetching came from outside the room where I was sat. Thinking it was a cat, I got up and went to the window to see at least seven house sparrows surrounding a coal tit which was pinned to the ground by a male sparrow, it was very violent and the tit had feathers coming away, so I opened the window and the sparrows flew off leaving the coal tit still sat on the grass almost motionless until after a couple of minutes it managed to recover.

The second time this week, I again intervened, (maybe I shouldn't but I feel responsible as I am feeding them) with another incident of another coal tit being attacked and pinned down. I have never seen such violent behaviour in all the years I have fed birds, squabbles yes, but not this extreme.

Is there a reason for this? Shortage of their natural food perhaps? I have witnessed many times sparrows fighting amongst themselves or chasing others from feeders, but the level of the fights I witnessed this week, I am sure the House Sparrows would have killed the Coal Tit, especially in the first instance.

Thanks.

 

[Tero]

Rivalry for roosting holes in winter? They are both territorial, a bit.

 

[lapwing1]

Rivalry for roosting holes in winter? They are both territorial, a bit.

Now, I never thought of that but I have six varying nestboxes in the garden and the house sparrows still go under my eaves into the attic.

I think it was a fight over food, and I have never seen sparrows gang up so violently on a member of the tit family to the extent they would have actually done serious damage.

 

[prairiemerlin]

House Sparrows are killers. Here in the US, they compete with Eastern Bluebirds for nesting holes and will kill young, adult and bluebird eggs.

 

[Bridie]

House Sparrows are killers

Funny you should say that about sparrows being killers as I arrived home from a short holiday to find a dead sparrow on the bird table. I usually keep the bird table and the surrounding feeders filled up with the type of seed that suits the sparrows (tits etc. have other feeders) and it had run out whilst I was away. The dead sparrow looked as though it had been pecked as it was a bit bloody but had not been eaten at all. From what you are all saying it looks as though they might have been squabbling over the food and one poor soul was on the receiving end.

Bridie

 

[lapwing1]

Funny you should say that about sparrows being killers as I arrived home from a short holiday to find a dead sparrow on the bird table. I usually keep the bird table and the surrounding feeders filled up with the type of seed that suits the sparrows (tits etc. have other feeders) and it had run out whilst I was away. The dead sparrow looked as though it had been pecked as it was a bit bloody but had not been eaten at all. From what you are all saying it looks as though they might have been squabbling over the food and one poor soul was on the receiving end.

Bridie

Thank-you for your replies.

There seem to be have no major upsets this week, I couldn't understand the severity of the attacks on the coal tits because there is plenty food to go round but maybe it is the fact that house-sparrows can be quite territorial too.

 

[Silvershark]

My local house sparrows aren't bothering to come in the garden lately, but I think they are at a slight disdvantage in the garden with the greenfiches to contend with on the hanging feeders and the starlings everywhere else. A neighbour has food out I think, I can see one feeder and the spuggies seem to spend a lot of time over there even though the other birds don't!

 

[Linda Beaumont]

Oh dear, and me a Spadger-Lover, too !!! (o)<

Well, all I can say in the little darlings' defence is that it's a jungle out there (and in here, too :-O )

Our House Sparrows certainly squabble a lot, but I've never seen them getting REALLY nasty with each other (unlike the Feral Pigeons, who seem to enjoy neck-wrestling...), and they've definitely never attacked other birds when I've been around. :eek!:

Maybe Belgian Sparrows have better table manners than in other countries. Or maybe I've just brought them up right! Whatever, I'll keep a motherly eye on them in future to curb any bad behaviour at the outset. ||

Rally round, all you Sparrow Fans out there! o

Cheers -

 

[brianfm]

Hi all

I don't think it is so unusual for threats by birds, which occur all of the time, to move into actual physical attacks. I suppose it is because we may not see it happen so often that it is not pleasant to watch when we do. I have just being reading an article about Robins fighting to the death and inflicting serious injuries upon one another. I believe the most likely cause of death by ''bullying'' is when birds are dominated to the degree that they are unable to get their share of the available food/resources. We don't really notice this so much as out right physical attacks but it goes on all of the time I guess. All part of nature and uncannily like our own human behaviour around the world I think!!!!!

 

[Cathy H]

Hi all,

It was while I was reading Brian's post that I remembered a short film on a Bill Oddie prog a few months ago. It showed a pair of kingfishers locked in battle, and he was saying at the time that the duel could end up with one of them being drowned.

I think that maybe because we see the little darlings in our garden and get to know them, we forget they're wild and face a survival of the fittest, hard as it is to contemplate.

What are we folk like, treating wildlife like it's part of the family, which we would love it to be, but we forget it doesn't behave like us necessarily.

Still, we do all we can to ensure it happens as little as possible.

Cheers, B

 

[Jodd]

Hi All

Sparrows are one of my favourite birds - they are so resourceful and gregarious. I haven't seen this behaviour in my visiting flocks. They do bicker amongst themselves but tend to ignore the other birds (including the little birds like the coaltits). The bossy boots in my garden tends to be Mr Robin who I often see chasing the chaffinches, dunnocks etc.

I remember noticing a couple of years ago how few sparrows were visiting my garden compared to when I was a child. I then discovered (along with the starling) that they are now a red listed species of conservation concern in the UK. After finding this out I read up on how I could help them out and for the last couple of years during April to September I have been putting out a regular supply of meal worms to help them during the breeding season. I personally am pleased to say that the numbers now visiting my garden have increased tenfold. It's quite amusing some mornings to stand outside just as it is getting light and watch all the little family groups of sparrows arrive in my garden from all different directions. I did put up a sparrow nesting terrace but they don't seem taken by this (I live in bunglaow so it is probably not high enough for them) but the bluetits have used it two years on the trot.

I do try to implement selective feeding and feed the birds all year round (the sparrows love 50/50 budgie mix ie 50% millet and 50% canary seed). I also have a couple of black sunflower seed feeders for the green finches and sunflower hearts for the tit family, plus niger seed for the goldfinches and the customary mesh peanut feeders for anybody who wants to hang on (regular visitors are a nuthatch and a spotted woodpecker). In addition I have a pole feeder with mixed seed which I also put on the bird table and lastly for the blackbirds, robin etc groundfeeder mix with sultanas, oats etc. I also put out fat balls but not in those nasty net bags which can trap birds legs and tongues (I take them out of the bags and put them in the containers you can buy).

With so many birds visiting I am also very aware of hygiene and ensure feeders are cleaned on a regular basis, water dishes are changed daily and the bird table and areas below the feeders are swept daily.

Jo

 

[Bridie]

Hi All

Sparrows are one of my favourite birds (the sparrows love 50/50 budgie mix ie 50% millet and 50% canary seed).Jo

Hello Jodd, welcome to the board if no one has already said it!!

I also love sparrows and have quite a good flock now visiting. I was interested in your sparrow mix, I try to suit the feeders to the different birds and site them in groups around the garden. At the moment the sparrows are feeding off a wild bird seed mix with added hemp. I might try your mix in one feeder and see how it goes compared to the other feeders.

Happy feeding and watching

Bridie

 

[Jodd]

Sparrow Seed

Hello Jodd, welcome to the board if no one has already said it!!

I also love sparrows and have quite a good flock now visiting. I was interested in your sparrow mix, I try to suit the feeders to the different birds and site them in groups around the garden. At the moment the sparrows are feeding off a wild bird seed mix with added hemp. I might try your mix in one feeder and see how it goes compared to the other feeders.

Happy feeding and watching

Bridie

Hi Bridie

Let me know how you get on. (You can probably buy this mix in any pet shop - my sparrows like it so much I buy it in 20kg sacks)

Regards
Jo

 

[Squirrel]

Hi Anya. I've never seen sparrows gang up on another bird as you describe - sounds quite unpleasant! Could it be that they're being extra-territorial for some reason, e.g. defending their regular nesting or roosting area (much sparrow aggression seems so be about these issues) - do they roost or breed in your garden? I've seen house sparrows chase off starlings in my area when they get too close to their roosting/nesting sites in the eaves and wall cavities etc.

 

[lapwing1]

Hi Squirrel,

Yes I have quite a little House Sparrow society nesting and roosting here. Many in the eaves and I have five nestboxes for them which they use for the same.

Both attacks on the coal tits happened in the same area of the garden, actually not near the main feeding area but just a couple of feet from the base of one of our trees. Thinking about it, it is possible that the coal tits were in the tree which is quite near one of the boxes, so your theory is probably correct.

Thanks

Lapwing