House or English sparrows

House sparrows were introduced from England into the United States in 1850. There are many naturally occurring species of sparrows also in the US but they are not considered pests in or around buildings.

The house sparrow is a small but stocky bird 5.5 to 6.5 inches in length. The male can be distinguished from all common native sparrows by its black throat and upper breast and ash gray crown as well as a chestnut colored cape extending from the eyes along the side and back of the neck.

House sparrows are a social bird, nesting closely to one another and flying and feeding in small flocks. Nests of almost any easily obtained material are built on almost any conceivable elevated place.

Sparrows raise at least two and up to five broods per year. Three to eight eggs are laid per clutch taking an average of two weeks to hatch. The annual mortality rate of mature house sparrows has been calculated at 54%.

Sparrows feed on a wide variety of cereals and seeds and their diet includes young seedlings, buds and flowers and small soft fruits. The house sparrow has become almost dependant on humans for both food sources and nesting sites.

In addition to messy nests and the contamination and defacement caused by droppings, sparrows damage soft insulation in warehouses and in livestock raising facilities. Their nests have been known to cause short circuits and fires.

House sparrows have been implicated in the transmission of more than 25 diseases to humans and domestic animals including psittacosis, salmonellosis and several forms of encephalitis. Sparrows in and around poultry and hog farms, because of their disease-carrying potential, are of concern to farmers.

If squirrels are in the attic or garage, the occupant will likely hear them moving about, even if he has not seen them; however, their noise and physical evidence can sometimes be confused with that of chipmunks, wood rats or roof rats.

The most common points of entry for a squirrel in a building are roof vents including power fans, gable louver vents, soffit vents, deteriorated facia boards behind the rain gutters and construction gaps at inside or outside corners.

If a squirrel has appeared in the basement, it has most likely come down the chimney and out the furnace damper opening. Whenever a chimney flue is the likely point of entry be sure to check for obstructions caused by accumulated nest material.