Where do all the Sparrows go ?

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello All,

In spring through to mid to late summer I get an enormous amount of Sparrows in my garden (Plus small numbers of other birds) a number of Sparrows nest in the eaves of my house . Come late summer autum thier gone, they consume a massive amount of bird seed and clumps of millet that I hang from the only tree in my garden ( Dead tree so no more cover in summer than winter) then it just sits there and rots ! Where do they all go ?

 

[Levo-Lon]

I have a good all year population of sparrows, ranges from 20 to 40 as a rule on any given day.
my garden seems to have what they like with large bushes and regular food, dog keeps the cats away,and I have several birdbaths which they love.
sparrow hawk does thin them out from time to time but thats the way of things.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Late summer is when most natural flora , and crops, run to seed, so I presume they're off foraging in fields/verges/etc. Then when that supply starts to run out they come back into gardens.

 

[raleighnut]

Ours roost in the Ivy up the side of the house and are not fazed by the cats (we've got 4 cats and Scott next door has 3, when they are feeding there is always a couple on 'sentry duty' a bit like Meercats do)

 

[Berk on a Bike]

We have very few garden birds, sadly. Too many bloody neighbourhood cats.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Hello All,

In spring through to mid to late summer I get an enormous amount of Sparrows in my garden (Plus small numbers of other birds) a number of Sparrows nest in the eaves of my house . Come late summer autum thier gone, they consume a massive amount of bird seed and clumps of millet that I hang from the only tree in my garden ( Dead tree so no more cover in summer than winter) then it just sits there and rots ! Where do they all go ?

I've no answer but there must be something that keeps them away in winter - there's obviously nesting room and food at yours that suits them for nesting. A lack of tree cover from predators perhaps? On the other hand, they're pretty alert and courageous. There may be somewhere else on the sparrow map that's simply warmer in winter - though less suitable for nesting. I'm thinking of something near an air extractor for a heating system, for example.

The locals seem happy in the eaves of nearby buildings all year round but London will be warmer than most places.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

We have them in our garden all year round. They can empty their tray feeder in next to no time. the starlings also appear mob handed from time to time.

 

[accountantpete]

Ours travel a little way down the road to some thicker evergreen cover - a couple of old regulars come back to the feeder when it's cold.

 

[annedonnelly]

Mine are around all year. Obviously there's a summer period when there are more as there are youngsters as well as adults. Some will die/be killed during the year. Most gardens tend to have fewer birds in the autumn as the birds are moulting and hide away, there's more food in the countryside and generally there's a bit less panic to find food with no chicks to feed.

Sparrows like to go about in gangs and like the cover of bushes and shrubs so if you haven't much cover in the winter they might be elsewhere.

If you're interested in this sort of stuff check out the BTO - their Garden Birdwatch survey monitors birds in gardens all year round and you can see definite trends in when gardens are busier than others. I don't know how much you can see on the website but members get regular magazines with graphs and league tables of most frequent birds.

 

[andytheflyer]

About 30 in my garden right now - but they have been a bit scarce this winter. Obviously been off somewhere else. Need to go out and refill the bird feeders but don't want to scare them off from picking up all the seeds that have been dropped around the bird table.

 

[AndyRM]

We have three cats to protect us from the evil sparrows.

 

[jonny jeez]

Hello All,

In spring through to mid to late summer I get an enormous amount of Sparrows in my garden (Plus small numbers of other birds) a number of Sparrows nest in the eaves of my house . Come late summer autum thier gone, they consume a massive amount of bird seed and clumps of millet that I hang from the only tree in my garden ( Dead tree so no more cover in summer than winter) then it just sits there and rots ! Where do they all go ?

They go to the same place that we all go....did you not get the invite?

 

[classic33]

They go to the same place that we all go....did you not get the invite?

Capistrano!

 

[jonny jeez]

Capistrano!

Had to google that one.

 

[classic33]

Had to google that one.

Inkspots!