Sparrows have moved into your house or balcony and you want to drive away the chirping animals? Be careful, there are a few things you have to keep in mind! Because sparrows are under protection. Find out below what reasons there are for putting up with the flying guests and how you can ensure that the birds look for another nesting place in an animal-friendly manner.
How to drive away sparrows without harm?
To drive away sparrows in an animal-friendly manner, you can use bird dummies, CDs, spirals or bird songs outside of the breeding season (March to August). However, driving away nesting sites that have already been established is prohibited by law and can result in fines.
Short:
- Sparrows and their nesting places are protected and must not be driven away under any circumstances once they have established themselves.
- The sparrow population has fallen by over 50%. Sparrows should therefore be offered a nesting place.
- Measures must not be taken during the breeding season from March to August.
- Dummy birds, bird calls, spirals or CDs are methods of keeping sparrows away without harming them.
The future of sparrows
You may have already noticed, but the house sparrow, Latin Passer domesticus, is becoming increasingly rare. Thousands of sparrows once lived in German gardens; In the last few decades, the population has at least halved in many places. In Germany it is therefore on theAdvance warning list for the Red ListThe decline is not limited to Germany; House sparrow populations are declining around the world. In Great Britain it is already on the red list. The reasons for the decline are quickly summarized:
- high building density
- More and more perfect roofs without loose tiles (popular nesting place) and plastered facades without niches (also popular nesting place)
- Food shortage due to decline in insects
- unnatural environment with fewer and fewer native plants
- Feeding garbage to young birds
To draw attention to the worrying decline of sparrows, March 20th was designated World Sparrow Day in 2010.
Caution: animal welfare
Sparrows and their nests and brood are under protection
Sparrows, like all other wild animals, are protected This means that they must not be injured or even killed under any circumstances. But that's not all: their nesting places are also protected. Sparrows are breeding faithful birds and visit the same breeding sites every year. Destroying these is strictly prohibited! It is also forbidden to scare away the birds during the breeding season. Violations can result in hefty fines. Accordingly, it is also forbidden to set up dummies, ultrasound devices or other methods of expulsion during the breeding season.
(1) It is forbidden to: 1. stalk wild animals of specially protected species, catch them, injure them or kill them, or take their developmental forms from nature, damage them or destroy them (Law on Nature Conservation and landscape management (Federal Nature Conservation Act - BNatSchG) § 44 regulations for specially protected and certain other animal and plant species)
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Sparrows as pest killers
If you own a vegetable garden, you should be happy about the presence of sparrows in your home:Sparrows like to feed their offspring with pests such as lice, flies, mosquitoes and caterpillars, which are rich in proteins. So you're lucky if a pair of sparrows nests in your home.
When and how can you drive away sparrows?
You are no longer allowed to drive away sparrows that have already settled in your home and started building nests. Anyone who destroys a sparrow breeding site can face a fine of up to 50,000 euros. The fines depend on the federal state. So you can only prevent sparrows from nesting in your home outside of the breeding season. Sparrows breed several times a year from March to August Therefore, it makes sense to take preventative measures in late winter. Of course, it would be even nicer if you could bring yourself to give sparrows a home.
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Spruce up nesting sites
The sparrows nest on the facade, damage it and make dirt? Then simply redesign the area to be sparrow-friendly and protect the facade: Place a sufficiently large board on the wall with an advance. This protects the facade, offers the sparrows even more space to build nests and prevents their excrement from contaminating the house wall and the floor underneath.
Keep sparrows away
Outside the breeding season and before the birds have nested on your site, it is legitimate to gently convince sparrows that this is not a good nesting place. There are various methods for this:
- Dummy birds
- CDs
- Spirals
- Birdsongs
Dummy bird against sparrows
Raven dummies keep sparrows, pigeons and other birds away
If the place is occupied by an enemy, the little sparrows quickly run away. However, due to the lack of nesting space, they are certainly motivated to take a closer look and, under certain circumstances, take on smaller rivals. Therefore, the dummy (€9.00 on Amazon) should look as real as possible and represent a bird of prey. The arch enemy of sparrows are ravens. Raven dummies therefore achieve a good effect. But hawks, owls, sparrowhawks and magpies also cause sparrows to flee. Dummy models that move in the wind, soare hung up or have moving parts that move when there is a draft, work particularly well. It also makes sense to move the dummy slightly every few days to prevent a habituation effect.
Tip
You can find more ideas for creative and functional scarecrows for the balcony here.
Drive away sparrows with CDs
The reflective surface of the CDs scares away the sparrows. Hang the CDs exactly in the place you want the sparrows to avoid and make sure that the CDs can move and rotate freely. The best location is a windy location where the CDs are regularly moved.
Tip
If you are artistically talented, you can also make a beautiful wind chime out of the CDs: paint the blanks colorfully and you have a work of art hanging in front of your window or on the balcony.
Spirals against sparrows
Bird deterrent spirals are usually made of stainless steel and are often used for gutters. Sparrows see the obstacle when approaching and turn away. If the birds do try to land, the wire will bend so that the bird is not injured. But the movement still sends him fleeing. Alternatively, you can simply close the gutter with a cover. If the defense spirals are not installed correctly, the animals can be injured. It is therefore essential to ensure correct installation or use other defense methods.
Birdsongs
Where someone already lives, there is no longer room for sparrows. Especially when birds of prey such as buzzards, ravens or falcons sing, the sparrows prefer to run away. However, sparrows are not stupid and - as already mentioned - desperate in their search for a place to live. Therefore, this measure often cannot keep them away permanently. It is therefore advisable to combine this acoustic method with a visual one: if the birds see and hear their enemies, they are more likely to be convinced that this is not a good place to breed.
Not recommended measures against sparrows
You can get a variety of equipment and ideas on how to get rid of sparrows in stores and online. Unfortunately, this also includesMeasures that can harm sparrows and other animals Here is an overview of the methods you should stay away from:
| Method | Damage | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Spikes | Can seriously injure sparrows and other birds | Spirals |
| Ultrasound devices | Not only disturbs sparrows but also other animals such as bats or even pets | Bird songs or wind chimes |
| Bird nets | Birds can get caught in this and die in agony | CDs or moving bird dummy |
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Offer alternative places for sparrows
Sparrows need breeding places – help them!
Do you want to help the sparrows find a place to live, but want to prevent them from breeding in certain places? Buy nesting boxes for the sparrows and place them where the sparrows won't bother you! These nesting sites are particularly popular with sparrows:
- Niches and crevices on buildings
- Roof tiles
- Caves, including tree hollows
- Nesting boxes with large entrance hole
- Rare trees and bushes
If you want to offer the sparrow an alternative place, hang nesting boxes suitable for sparrows on trees and house walls. Make sure the orientation is correct so that the sparrows also accept the boxes.
Sparrows help instead of driving away: ensure food supply
Just a few years ago, year-round feeding was discouraged because the birds found enough to eat themselves and should not be made dependent on humans. Sadly,All year round feeding is now recommended Nature's food supply is no longer sufficient to feed sparrows and other birds, especially during the breeding season. Use a bird feeder to ensure that sparrows and other birds can get a nutritious diet all year round. Sparrows prefer to eat:
- Peanuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Oat, wheat and barley grains
- Seeds of grasses and herbs
- Walnuts
Adult sparrows are vegetarians, whereas baby sparrows are carnivores.
Frequently asked questions
What don’t sparrows like?
Sparrows want to breed quietly and safely. Therefore, they do not feel comfortable in places where there is a lot of movement or enemies. Therefore, hanging CDs, wind chimes or moving bird dummies keep sparrows away.
How do I get rid of sparrows under roof tiles?
Sparrows like to nest under roof tiles
If the sparrows are already breeding under your roof tiles, you have to wait until the offspring hatch. To be on the safe side, you should wait until the end of August. Then you can hang up CDs or dummy birds or simply close the niche.
Which bird drives away sparrows?
Birds of prey such as buzzards, hawks, owls and crows eat sparrows and are therefore enemies of the lively birds. To keep sparrows away, you can choose a dummy of these bird species and also record the sounds of these birds.
