Starling Trap: Nesting Box

 I plan on trying to feed my hawk starlings and English sparrows as much as possible, so I have built two traps to get them. One plays on their nesting and territorial drives, the other on food.

In a UC Davis study on trapping starlings, the most effective way to lure them in is other starlings. So for my V trap to work at it's best, I'll need to get a few lure birds. Enter the nesting box.

 Looks normal on the outside, but once the target bird hops in, the internal can drops. The lever is counter balanced to drop with between 4 and 5 quarters.

I used a bunch of washers on a bolt that can be removed or added depending on how it preforms and the quickness of the reset. The axle rests on Delrin blocks from an old cutting board. I also put some tubing and washers on the axle to ensure the can pivots up and down without much deviation and no contact, even when its on it's side.( Trying to stay one step ahead of Murphy.) The can pivots to the bottom and the top hole is covered and a hole on the back is revealed.

The bird hops off the can into a 3" PVC elbow. I put in some holes to give some light, to increase the likelihood the bird will move down the garden path and drop down the pipe.

The bird drops down the pipe into a collection box. The first several birds I catch will go into the V trap but after that, CO2, vacuum packer, and the freezer. I'll put the cage in, with a block or two of styrofoam to take up space, in a clear storage container and crack open the CO2 for second or two, and let the birds sleep. Mostly I wanted the CO2 for the big trap and major bird processing sessions. Its actually from a paintball gun set up.

Here's the set up.

Next the V trap.