Sparrow being fed by swallow parents

E39MSport

Morning all.

My resident sparrows nest in the eves each year and have extended out this year. I noticed a Sparrow checking out last year's swallow cup. Then the swallows returned and there was a bit of tooing and froing by both parties.

So the swallows had a successful brood and I thought they were going for their second. But the other day I heard a young Sparrow in the nest and confirmed it today. The swallows are rearing at least one Sparrow chick but I don't hear the usual swallow chick sounds coming from the nest when parents return with food.

I wonder how the chick will fare on the diet and how his hawking skills will be?!?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's not unusual for the parent of one species to feed the young of another. The parental urge is so strong that the adult responds to any stimulus to feed.

The diet is perfect.

OpenYourEyes

An interesting observation - keep us posted on how it develops!

magicbastarder

i missed whether the genesis of the situation had been caught on camera, but springwatch had footage of a lone (female) blue tit feeding great tit chicks.

E39MSport

Hi All,

I have moved house since the first post here and I am delighted to have three House Martin nests, all active.

Sadly, I saw five dead chicks on ground under one nest last week. I assumed that it was another House Martin for competition reasons .....

This morning I was out in the garage, the door of which is under one of the nests. I noticed that the adults were visiting this nest regularly. I heard Sparrows and Martins making a lot of commotion and went out to investigate.

As I exited the garage, an egg (or the remains of which) dropped to the ground in front of me. A male house sparrow had broken up the nest opening and gained entry to the nest.

I don't know if they are predating or taking over the nests.

I checked one of the other nests close to the garage and I saw a Sparrow leaving that nest also.

I have never heard of this and googled it to find it not uncommon.

I'm going to place netting around the nests to make it difficult for the sparrows. Apparently they find it difficult to make the steep climb.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

E39MSport wrote: »

Hi All,

I have moved house since the first post here and I am delighted to have three House Martin nests, all active.

Sadly, I saw five dead chicks on ground under one nest last week. I assumed that it was another House Martin for competition reasons .....

This morning I was out in the garage, the door of which is under one of the nests. I noticed that the adults were visiting this nest regularly. I heard Sparrows and Martins making a lot of commotion and went out to investigate.

As I exited the garage, an egg (or the remains of which) dropped to the ground in front of me. A male house sparrow had broken up the nest opening and gained entry to the nest.

I don't know if they are predating or taking over the nests.

I checked one of the other nests close to the garage and I saw a Sparrow leaving that nest also.

I have never heard of this and googled it to find it not uncommon.

I'm going to place netting around the nests to make it difficult for the sparrows. Apparently they find it difficult to make the steep climb.

Why interfere? This is all very natural and all species have to do what they can to find nest locations. The House Sparrow needs every bit as much encouragement as the Swallow.

Capercaillie

In North America huge problem with House sparrows, they displace many native birds from their nest and kill nestlings.

Native here and with declining populations across Europe we should assist them any way we can. I have a similar problem. House sparrows nesting in my swift nest boxes. I have a house sparrow terrace box but the devils prefer the swift boxes. Under advice, for swift nest boxes I will block them off during the winter until swifts arrive back in Ireland. The house sparrow terrace box will be open the whole time so hopefully they will use them.