Laura--
Many of us would love to see these birds disappear. 120 years ago
ornithologists were writing large books about how to get rid of them.
The Bird Act does NOT protect them, or starlings. Yes, I believe their
numbers are falling, but not nearly fast enough. Here's an account of it
from my book (free on the Cols Audubon site):
House Sparrow Passer domesticus*. An alien species first released
by enthusiasts, now a common-abundant resident locally; it was called
“superabundant” on the OSU campus as early as 1901 (Griggs 43). Jones
(1903:221) traced its Ohio origins to 53 pairs set free in Cleveland,
Warren, and Cincinnati 1869-72. A specimen was collected in Columbus as
early as 3/7/1878 (OSUM #1294). Davie (1898:365) commented on its
extraordinary adaptability: “[a] nest, which was composed of steel
turnings of a lathe, was lodged on a beam in the Panhandle shops at
Columbus. Two broods had been raised in this nest in one season.” By
1903 Dawson (p. 42), observing its depredations in the county, indulged
in some invective: “Of late the choicest rural sites have been
appropriated, and the cliffs once sacred to the gentle Swallow, now
resound with the vulgar bletherings and maudlin mirth of this avian blot
on nature.” Outside the breeding season it roosts communally in cover
such as conifers or dense brush, at which time it forms large skittish
flocks. As recently as the 1940s Columbus field reports, even from
parklands, often showed them outnumbering any other species by a factor
of ten. Its numbers have waned noticeably (and in parts of its native
Old World range often precipitously), especially in rural settings, from
those of former days, with less pasturage and fewer horses in use,
declining use of haystacks, better refuse management, and perhaps—-one
dares to hope—-competition from starlings. Its slow decline has
continued over recent decades. The Columbus CBC’s numbers peaked at
6040 house sparrows on 12/28/1985; tallied recently were 1816 in 2009,
965 in 2010, 1413 in 2011, 977 in 2013, and 1383 in 2014.
Bill Whan
Columbus
On 3/12/2015 1:55 AM, Laura Peskin wrote:
> Why not hope the raptors come back for a nice, juicy English sparrow treat
> ? They have to eat too, anyways. Right after English sparrows were
> introduced into this country, about 100 years ago, they were such farm
> nuisances that people trapped them. The Migratory Bird Act may have ended
> that. Lately I've noticed English sparrow numbers down and native
> competitor numbers up, but that might just be personal observer bias.
>
> Laura
>
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