when squirrels chew out entrance holes on my boxes, I cut a small piece of 1/4" or 1/2" wood, drill the appropriate hole through the middle of it, then tack it over the damaged hole - that should deter the sparrows since they will no longer fit - and that same little repair piece of wood can easily be replaced time after time if squirrels continue to damage the box - this extra piece of wood also makes the entrance hole "deeper", which could be helpful in protecting the eggs and young from predators - good luck! Gayle Davis Owen, Taylor Cty On 2/17/2012 9:04 AM, Anna Keaney wrote: > We put up a nest box a week or so ago and have seen both chickadees and > House Sparrows going inside it. I'm not sure either in particular has > claimed it yet (although today the sparrow was in it a couple of times). > This box was bought last summer as a chickadee-wren box, but I think our > woodpeckers have widened the hole, drat them. I've been reading different > things saying take the box down entirely, or just replace the panel with > one with a smaller hole, or just check the nest and remove it if it's a > sparrow nest (this is hard to do because the box opens from the bottom, not > top)... I thought I'd ask if anyone had any "best practice" info on this? > Thanks! > Anna Keaney > Madison, Dane > > > #################### > You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding > Network (Wisbirdn). > To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn > > > #################### You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding Network (Wisbirdn). To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn