How to Keep Sparrows Away from Your Feeders, Yard, and Home

Co-authored by Elmer Bensinger and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

If you enjoy having a variety of native birds in your garden, you probably aren't the biggest fan of sparrows. These chunky little birds are an invasive species in North America that can be really aggressive toward native songbirds.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds
Go to source} The good news is that there are easy—and humane—ways that you can make your property less attractive to them so they'll simply choose to go somewhere else. Read on to find out what you can do to keep sparrows from raiding your feeders, taking over your yard, and nesting around your home.

Things You Should Know

Remove cracked corn, wheat, oats, millet, and bread scraps from your bird feeders.
Use clinging mesh or tube feeders feeders with perches shorter than ⁵⁄₈ inch (1.6 cm) to feed native songbirds.
Cover crevices, vents, and openings with steel wire mesh so sparrows can't nest there.
Clear out nesting materials before sparrows lay eggs to discourage them from nesting.

1

Remove sparrows' favorite food.

Keep cracked corn and grain out of bird feeders. Sparrows are pretty picky about what they eat. If none of their favorites are available, they won't come around.^{[2]
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The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
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- If you want to continue feeding other birds without attracting sparrows, use nyjer, safflower seeds, suet, nectar, or fruit and nut mixes.
- The specific foods sparrows like can vary depending on where you live. Watch the birds that come to your feeder and adjust as necessary.^{[3]
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2

Switch to sparrow-proof bird feeders.

Use clinging mesh or tube feeders to keep sparrows at bay. Sparrows are more attracted to tray or platform feeders. They usually won't bother with clinging mesh or tube feeders because there's nothing solid for them to grab onto. You'll still see a few, but they won't tend to hog the food like they do with tray feeders.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds
Go to source}
- If you've already spent money on bird feeders and don't want to get rid of them, just cut the perches shorter than ⁵⁄₈ inch (1.6 cm)—too short for sparrows.^{[5]
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3

Set up a decoy sparrow feeder.

Put sparrow food in a ground feeder at least 15 feet (4.6 m) away. If your biggest concern is sparrows muscling the native songbirds away from your feeder, a decoy feeder can help! If sparrows can eat their fill at another location, they won't bother the songbirds.^{[6]
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- Sparrows really like cracked corn—it might be their favorite. They also enjoy wheat, oats, millet, and bread scraps.
- Make sure your food scraps are cleaned up and locked away in secure trashcans, except for what you put in the sparrow feeder.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  The Humane Society of the United States
  National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
  Go to source}

4

Make birdbaths less inviting to sparrows.

Line the basin with uneven rocks to keep sparrows from bathing. Small rocks provide plenty of landing spots for the smallest songbirds but tend to deter sparrows. Having an above-ground bath can also help since sparrows tend to hop around on the ground. You might also add a mister or dripping feature, which sparrows aren't fond of.^{[8]
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Penn State Extension
Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
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- Sparrows prefer dust baths to water baths anyway, so it's also a good idea to clean up any dusty or gravel areas that they might find attractive.^{[9]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds
  Go to source}

5

Wait until April 1 to put out birdhouses or nesting boxes.

By April 1, most sparrows have already chosen their nesting spots. Unlike many other birds, house sparrows don't migrate. That means they get the jump on all the other birds in terms of a nesting spot and have usually staked their claim by late February or early March.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
Go to source}
- If you leave your birdhouses or nesting boxes out year-round, plug up the entrances until the migrating birds return in the spring.
- If you have multiple birdhouses or nesting boxes, set them up 5 to 15 feet (1.5 to 4.6 m) apart so if a sparrow claims one of them they'll leave the rest alone.
- Attaching sparrow spookers to the roof of a birdhouse also keeps sparrows out without deterring other birds.^{[11]
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6

Broadcast sparrow alarm calls.

Play a recording of sparrow alarm calls to send the birds on their way. For a relatively easy DIY solution, search online for sparrow alarm calls (check YouTube and streaming services) and play them outside on wireless speakers. House sparrows, specifically, aren't as responsive to this as some other birds, but it's still worth a try if only because it's so easy.^{[12]
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- You usually only have to do this for a day or two for the sparrows to get the message (or not). If they completely ignore the calls, just scrap this and move on to something else.

7

Cover gardens and flower beds with netting.

Spread netting over crops to protect them from sparrows. Cover the plants completely and secure the netting to the ground. Tie off all of the ends to keep the birds from getting under it.^{[13]
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- The netting also protects your gardens and flower beds generally from other birds and animals that might destroy them.

8

Cover openings around the house with steel mesh.

Steel mesh keeps sparrows from nesting in corners and crevices. Steel wire mesh keeps sparrows out of pipes, vents, and other crevices in your house where they might nest. This is particularly helpful if you want to keep sparrows from nesting on your porch—sparrows like the corners and rafters of porch coverings.^{[14]
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- You can also install slanted metal, wood, or plexiglass at a 45-degree angle over ledges to keep sparrows from nesting or roosting there.
- Sparrows nest from March to September, so take care of this in the fall or early winter.^{[15]
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  Penn State Extension
  Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
  Go to source}
- Birds can peck through mesh to get into your attic. Check the mesh before nesting season begins in March to make sure it's still intact.

9

Install bird spikes where sparrows roost.

Bird spikes don't give sparrows anywhere to land. Bird spikes are pretty common on roofs, over gutters, and under eaves, but you can install them literally anywhere you see sparrows roosting. They don't hurt the birds—the sparrows will see them and know there's no place for them to land between them, so they'll move on.^{[16]
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Trustworthy Source
Penn State Extension
Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
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- Bird spikes are likely to deter other birds from roosting in those areas as well. But your songbirds will still come back to visit provided you have plenty of bird-friendly spots for them around your yard.

10

Place an owl decoy under the eaves.

A good predator decoy with sound and movement deters nesting. Real owls don't like to be out in the open, so give your decoy a good sheltered spot. Sparrows are smart, so choose one with motion detectors that will make sounds or move when the sparrows come near—they'll be more likely to think it's real.^{[17]
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- Try to move your owl decoy to a different location every few days or so—if it never goes anywhere, the sparrows will figure out that it isn't real and ignore it.
- An owl decoy might deter other birds from nesting under the eaves as well. At the same time, it usually won't bother the birds that visit your yard, so you can still enjoy your songbirds in peace.

11

Destroy sparrow nests and eggs when you see them.

Consistently remove nests and the sparrows will go somewhere else. Imagine how you would feel if you worked on something for hours, only to have your work disappear when you return! Sparrows do tend to be pretty stubborn, but if you're vigilant and remove their nesting materials every morning, they'll get the hint after a while.^{[18]
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- Before you start removing nesting materials, make sure the nest belongs to a sparrow, not a protected migratory species. Sparrow nests are typically untidy, but some other birds build similar-looking nests.^{[19]
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- Some birding enthusiasts have reported acts of revenge from sparrows after their nests were destroyed, so keep that in mind.^{[20]
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12

Call a professional.

Hire a local pest or wildlife control technician to handle the problem. If you've tried a bunch of different tactics on your own but you just can't get rid of the sparrows, it's time to bring in the pros. Pest or wildlife control experts can assess your situation and use more aggressive methods to cure your infestation and keep the invasive species from coming back.^{[21]
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- Since sparrows aren't migratory birds, they aren't protected in North America. On top of that, they're invasive species—they're pests, and pest control technicians will know how to handle them.
- You might also look up a local birdwatchers' group. There are plenty of enthusiasts who have experience trapping and moving sparrows and might be willing to work with you.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you get sparrows out of your attic?

Elmer Bensinger
Pest Control Specialist
Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South Puget Sound Community College.

Elmer Bensinger

Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

Start by sealing up the house by installing a quarter-inch mesh screen over all the vents and openings in your home, except from the one where the birds are entering and exiting. Then, have someone flush the birds out of the attic. After they exit through the one open vent, cover it with mesh so the birds can't get back inside.