For the last few days I have been watching my sparrows gathering bits of hay, small twigs and especially feathers. Two of them even had a squabble over a rather nice feather. Are they making nests already, or are they just practising!!??
Cheers, Linda.
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Hi Sparrow
What you are witnessing is normal behaviour for this particular species.
The nesting habits of House Sparrows plays a significate role in the birds life and activities. These birds use the nest nearly year around.
In autumn and winter it is used for resting in the day and roosting at night.
So it is quite normal to see either sex gathering nesting materials at this time of year, although it is merely for comfort and warmth.
In spring and summer the birds use the nest for raising young, up to four broods a season will be raised.
The mating habits or courtship of the House Sparrow can begin as early as January and continue through July.
The normal breeding is Apr-Aug 3-6 eggs, incubation 12-14 days, young fledge at 13-19 days.
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Thanks Buzzard, once again.
Do house sparrows mate for life?
I know they rarely move more than a few hundred yards from their birth place, and as I have 30 to 40 of this years' babies, I am hoping to keep them, or as many as survive the winter.
Yes you are correct these birds are monogamous, usually for life.
Although lost mates are quickly replaced during the breeding season.
Buzzard
Hi Sparrow and Buzzard
This thread has really interested me. We have a cottoneaster which we have let grow much more than we have done in the past. My OH wanted to trim it down but I wouldn't let him simply because I love the shrub, I think it's beautiful. It has therefore grown quite big and this year we have had a bumper crop of berries.
When I do get free time I can be found quite happily sitting in the conservatory watching the birds in my garden getting up to all sorts of antics. On Saturday morning quite early, when the winds were really bashing everything in the garden, one gust shook the fencing right near the cottoneaster and in an instant at least 20 sparrows flew out of it startled. I was amazed to see them and now I make a point of opening the window near to the cottoneaster so that I can listen to their squabbles, their chattering and even singing. They are in there most days, could it be they will nest there or in fact may have built nests in the cottoneaster. The reason I ask is because I don't think they nested there in the spring so could it just be a roosting place?
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Hi Kezmo,
I have one of those dreaded leylandii hedges. It runs at right angles to a fence with trellis on it. I have an open mesh feeder attached to this fence, and a globe shaped feeder hanging from a leylandii branch next to the mesh feeder. This is where my sparrows live during the day. I have between 30 and 40. Some are hidden well inside the thick hedge, some are perched ontop of it, with necks outstretched like centurians on guard, some are filling their tummies with seed. Some sit in the squares of the trellis, sometimes all the squares are occupied. If they are disturbed all hell breaks loose and they fly off in all directions, but return within a few minutes. When the weather is bad they are very quiet and not in view, so I think they are elsewhere. They are certainly not there after dark. I don't know where they go as in the morning they are already clog dancing on the fence waiting for breakfast.
It could be the same with your cotoneaster. Please don't let your OH trim it down. They are so beautiful if left alone to grow at will. My hubby trims the leylandii under much supervision from yours truly !!!
My sparrows I think are mostly this years babies, and will be looking for suitable nesting sites. I am hoping they will use my garden, but I think the leylandii is too low for safety. ( 7 feet high) I have put a 3 hole sparrow nesting box up on the house in case 3 pairs want to use it.
Maybe Buzzard can come up with some more suggestions.
Hi Kezmo & Sparrow
Great news that you have House Sparrows as this is another species were the numbers have really declined over the last 30 years in the 1970's the population of House Sparrows was estimated to be approx 25 million breeding in Britain, the number now is closer to 11 million.
House Sparrows that were once apparent in towns seem to be the worse affected, it is unclear why there has been such dramatic declines.
It has been suggested in urban areas that the following has impacted on the numbers, fewer nest sites, as the eaves on older houses are replaced and blocked up, and many modern houses lack eaves or other access points.
Changes in gardens are probably another important reason for their decline.
As we go down the concrete jungle route!
There are fewer weedy corners for birds to feed in, and there seem to be fewer insects around to feed the chicks. House sparrows also like resting and hiding in old, dense, ivy and other bushes, many of which are disappearing as gardens are ‘made-over’.
With regards to your cotoneaster, House sparrows will build nests in thick vegetation, but seem to prefer cavities in buildings, particularly behind the fascias and soffits of roofs. They also like holes in buildings.
I would agree with you that they will be using it as a roosting site or for safety when resting between feeding!
House sparrows will use nest boxes, but they may be slow to move into the boxes when suitable cavities are available.
We had a family of house sparrows in the garden this summer, nesting in thick ivy that had grown up round a spindly old hawthorn tree and I loved to watch their antics. One day when I came home I found that OH had decided he didn't like the ivy and cut it all down and tidied up the hawthorn so my sparrows lost their nesting place, their cover and the handy branch that they and many other birds used when they were waiting a turn at the feeders. It was perfectly placed for them and for me to watch them and I was very upset as you can imagine. OH showed me the nest he had found! Fortunately all the sparrows had fledged by then and we have lots of other cover for them. I am pleased to report that they haven't deserted us as I saw three of them on the feeders this morning. :-)
There is something new to learn everyday...
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Aren't sparrows just wonderful entertainers!
My new feeding station went up yesterday but so far the sparrows are showing no interest. I have left my "sparrow corner" as it was, with their own feeder and mesh tray next to the leylandii and they seem to be staying put. I am delighted to say I had a couple of goldfinches, a blue tit and some song thrushes at the new station this morning - first time any of these species have been in my garden since I began all this in April this year.
Thanks again Buzzard for your informative posting.
I'm very pleased to hear that you have had birds at your new feeding station already :-)
Excellent news Sparrow! I'm sure more will follow! :-)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Yes, brilliant news with my newcommers. I was also delighted the new station remained intact through last night's gales!
Hi Sparrow,
Your sparrows definitely do sound entertaining! I have had mine for a while but they never really used the Cottoneaster before so that was why I was startled to see them in it. I did also have a few tree sparrows but admittedly haven't seen them for a couple of weeks which is a shame. Now that I know the house sparrows are using this shrub I think i'll start using the feeder again right near it. I stopped filling it because of the doves who were able to get to it. Squirrel very kindly gave me an idea of how to stop them but since I did that the birds weren't using it at all so I emptied the feed out - I think it's too near the house and we also have a cat, but as the sparrows don't seem to mind him I will try again. Thankfully the cat is too fat to jump so hopefully he won't be a problem! In fact he doesn't seem that interested in birds at all.
I'm glad you also got some other new birds to your garden - lucky you on the thrush. I donk think I've ever seen one in my garden at all.
Buzzard There are fewer weedy corners for birds to feed in, and there seem to be fewer insects around to feed the chicks. House sparrows also like resting and hiding in old, dense, ivy and other bushes, many of which are disappearing as gardens are ‘made-over’. Regards Buzzard
Hi Buzzard
Thanks for your reply. This is where we may be doing the right thing then for the sparrows as we have got an abundance of ivy all around the garden and we definitely have lots of weedy areas!!! We love our garden and we try so hard, but we certainly can't be accused of being excessive gardeners (LOL) - we're not house proud if you know what I mean!
In my "sparrows corner" there is the mesh tray, which many of the visitors use as well as the sparrows, and also a globe-shaped feeder which the sparrows use exclusively. They go inside the cage and sit in the handy-sized tray. It fits 4 or 5 at a time. It is hidden on all sides by the leylandii apart from the front, and hangs from one of the branches. They are safe there from predators, and sheltered from the rain.
Yes, I was delighted with the new birds. At first I thought the thrushes were starlings - I wasn't wearing my glasses at the time, so I took no notice of them as they are there frequently. When I put the old specs on I was very surprised and immediately grabbed the binoculars then dashed to my guide book and the RSPB website to make sure I had seen what I thought I had seen! I was right. They were song thrushes. They came back again later and seemed to like the sultanas I had put tin the mesh tray. They took one and flew off with it. They also liked my suet/seed mix in the coconut shell. (I must add at this point that Lola ate most of the sultanas I put down for the blackbirds!!
Your cat sounds lovely.