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Re: Backyard tragedy



I am sorry to hear about the House (English) Sparrows tearing out the
Bluebird nest. I knew an old fellow in Madison County NC. about 40 years
ago (when BB's were *very* endangered) telling me about that happening to
a pair of BB's trying to nest in a hole in an old Locust tree. I asked
what he did. He said "I have somethin' to fix that problem". When I
asked, he said " a 12 gauge shotgun". It worked well, he said. The BB's
re-nested and brought off a brood. A much needed brood at that time in
their history.
According to one authority, when a male HS claims a box, it is his. No
way to drive him off. There are a couple of solutions.
1.) Trap him and remove him from the area.
2.) Trap him and destroy him. (He might find his way back.)
3.) I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, but shoot him.
These birds are not a part of our natural fauna, and have caused untold
damage to native birds (along with Europpean Starlings). I do not hate
either one, but I am awfully protective of native birds. They in many
cases are not too thick on the ground, but English (House) Sparrows and
Starlings are just too plentiful.
Alex Netherton
The Appalachian Naturalist
Asheville, NC
http://www.appalachian-naturalist.com
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