Check your local ordinances and decide if these types of control are not only legal, but safe within your area.

Several different chemicals have been developed and are designated for sparrow control and should be used only if exclusion, trapping and other methods don’t work. Avitol baited wheat or corn is effective on sparrows. Federal and state law protect all songbird species except house sparrows, starlings and pigeons. Therefore, use must read and follow label directions and target only those three nuisance species. Many of these chemical are poisons that are potentially harmful to people and pets, are dangerous to other birds and can create many other problems. Consequently, we do not recommend chemical control or poisons for most situations. Many of the control products mentioned here can be purchased or ordered through nurseries, garden centers and farm supply stores.

Good old fashion harassment by spraying with water or oil, especially the nests, and continual removal of nests is the most effective technique, but can be time consuming. Nest should be removed, and all nestlings and eggs destroyed. To be effective, removal of eggs or nestlings from nest cavity nests, needs to be repeated every 2 weeks, as the birds will re-nest immediately.

Acoustical repellents such as alarm or distress notes are not successful. Devices such as decoy owls, rubber snakes or balloons are usually ineffective. Additionally, noise making devices have very little effect on sparrows.

In rural areas, shooting can be effective in removing, harassing and discouraging sparrows from using an area. It is especially important to remove the males as they have a strong attraction to a particular nest site, attracting females to the site. It is illegal and unsafe to discharge firearms within many cities, but it may be legal if done with air rifles or pellet guns.