Cardinals and sparrows

Patriot3 · ‎06-07-2010

I have a pair of cardinals who hang out on my porch now and then, so I put up a bird feeder w/black sunflower seeds. I like to think they are my Mom and Dad visiting from heaven.

Then the sparrows came! They are so agressive and mean. Now I hardly see the cardinals. Of course I don't watch 24/7, but those darn sparrows.

Does anyone know if the sparrows might be chasing away the cardinals? Thanks!

sparklestar · ‎03-09-2010

That's kind of odd. Sparrows aren't usually agressive. Esp with Cardinals and/or Blue Jays. We have all three in our backyard and the cardinals and jays are usually the aggressors. My husband feeds the sparrows from the front yard every morning before leaving for work. They have gotten pretty friendly and wait for him every morning in the bushes right next to his truck. When he goes out they are waiting for him. He will stand in the driveway and some of them will come right up close to him on the ground.

Suziepeach · ‎03-10-2010

I've never noticed any of our sparrows chasing any kind of bird away. Our cardinals are more active at dusk and dawn, the sparrows are all active all the time.

Go VOLS
Rocky Top you'll always be home sweet home to me.. Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee... Rocky Top Tennessee

SoX · ‎03-15-2010

This won't answer your question @Patriot3, just an aside ... we had one lone cardinal visit every single year in spring and stay through summer ... he nestled in our 50 ft pine tree. Then one year we had a terrible wind storm that uprooted this majestic pine ... no more cardinal; I haven't seen him since.

NeNe1010 · ‎03-26-2010

English Sparrows can be quite aggressive when it comes to food. Plus the sheer numbers of them discourage the shyer more sedate cardinals from trying to mix it up with them for food.. You might try feeding safflower seed which the Cardinals like but Sparrows are not to crazy about. Also the larger striped sunflower seed is less appealing to Sparrows than the black oil sunflower There are also weighted feeders that can be adjusted to open for the weigth of the larger Cardinals and will not open for the lighter sparrows. I used to have one and it worked quite well.

Bird mama · ‎03-12-2010

@Patriot3

It's been my experience that Cardinals tend to like to eat at dawn and dusk, when things are more quiet. I have a robust bird population in my bird and see Cardinals and Sparrows eat together in harmony. Now Blue Jays are another matter - that is one pushy bird, lol.

There are times when you must speak, not because you are going to change the opposing side, but because if you do not speak, they have changed you.

MoJoV · ‎10-01-2010

No,the sparrows aren't chasing the cardinals away,there are just more of them. I've been feeding wild birds for decades. The cardinals usually come later in the evening a little before dark and have the seed mostly to themselves. I'm glad you're feeding the wild birds,it's such a great thing to watch. And you never know who will show up!

Trees are the lungs of the Earth

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

Could be that there is another animal lurking nearby that you are not seeing...cat?

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Patriot3 wrote:
I have a pair of cardinals who hang out on my porch now and then, so I put up a bird feeder w/black sunflower seeds. I like to think they are my Mom and Dad visiting from heaven.

Then the sparrows came! They are so agressive and mean. Now I hardly see the cardinals. Of course I don't watch 24/7, but those darn sparrows.

Does anyone know if the sparrows might be chasing away the cardinals? Thanks!

@Patriot3

As far as your question? Beats me. I can however tell you we feed all types of birds, including many, many cardinals. See sparrows galore, but the cardinals we see all the time, especially in the winter. When it snows and fills the trees?

Not many pictures as beautiful as bright red csrdinals sianding out on the trees in contrast to the white snow. The most aggressive bird I have seen for many years, is the Bluejay.

hckynut(john)

sparklestar · ‎03-09-2010

@Bird mama wrote:
@Patriot3

It's been my experience that Cardinals tend to like to eat at dawn and dusk, when things are more quiet. I have a robust bird population in my bird and see Cardinals and Sparrows eat together in harmony. Now Blue Jays are another matter - that is one pushy bird, lol.

@Bird mama they sure are good at letting the other birds know when trouble is lurking.