I have seen too many decapitated tree swallows to have any sympathy at all for house sparrows. House sparrows have no place on any tree swallow grid or bluebird trail. If I find out that one is trying to use a box that I monitor, it will meet the same fate that Darlene described in an earlier email. At one of the parks where I monitor boxes, I have actually had people thank me for killing house sparrows because they eat the food left out for cardinals and finches. I have been known to set a ground trap in front of my apartment because the house sparrows eat the food meant for the house finches goldfinches, and cardinals. I have some boxes that are being used by bluebirds and tree swallows only because I took the time to get rid of the house sparrows. I know of one tree swallow that was trapped in a box at Traphagen by a house sparrow that survived to fledge 5 young only because the monitor of that grid showed up at just the right second. Tree swallows and bluebirds are both insectivorous during the warmer months. There are plenty of other birds that are insectivores so we don't need house sparrows for insect control. Al La Sala House Sparrow Exterminator Columbus, OH -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig Moore Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 1:28 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] House Sparrow in Franklin County After reading that someone wishing the Cooper's hawks would concentrate on eating House Sparrows, I wanted to mention that a female house sparrow was seen in my back yard on Saturday eating a Japaneese Beetle. One invasive species eating another. I usually want to eradicate the house sparrows. Now I'm going to have to ponder this some more to see if they can really help me control bugs. I think leaving the feeder empty is a must to keep them hungry enough to eat the beetles. Has anyone else found a use for house sparrows? ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]