Passer Domesticus Again
Passer domesticus Again
My question in regard to Passer domesticus using palms exclusively for nesting sites (Condor, XXVI, 1924, pp. 105-106) was answered in part by the birds themselves, the past spring. They became frequent visitors to our place early in the spring, and on March 29 and subsequently were observed carrying nesting material. The sites chosen were all fifty feet or more from the ground, in the large eucalyptus trees. On May 11, during a meeting of the Los Angeles Bird Banding Chapter of the C. O. C., Mr. Sumner climbed to one nest and tore it down. It had served its purpose and the young were gone.
The birds continued to increase until, early in June, quite a flock frequented the chicken pens and cleaned up the feed left by the young turkeys. Being of a tolerant disposition, I at first viewed these newcomers with more curiosity than aversion; but there is a limit to such tolerance, and on June 11 I brought my government sparrow trap into action, well baited with little chick scratch feed, and the first afternoon caught seven; and by July 5, twenty-four had been accounted for. That seemed to discourage them somewhat and the remaining ones moved to safer feeding grounds. At the present time we very seldom see one here, but I suppose another spring will bring a new crop that have never heard of sparrow traps and axes as a means of reducing population.
John McB. Robertson
Buena Park, California, October 12,1924
