sparrow friendly hedging

As you can see, across the road from me, the house had a lovely mature hedge and the sparrows have nested in it every year. We had flocks of youngsters from that hedge. But the house was sold a few months ago and the new owners are ripping everything out and putting up a 'nice' wooden fence.

Therefore, I decided I would replace those old lavender shrubs (much past their prime) with some suitable hedging. Thing is, do any of you bird types out there know which kind of shrubs I should go for? What do sparrows prefer to nest in?

 

Daisees, why not just nip across the road and see what plants make up their hedge?

 

LOL - what good idea!!

 

I can`t help it. I`m lazy. :D

 

from what I understood, sparrows are communal nesters and usually nest in holes in eaves etc hence the name house sparrow. I can't say i've ever seen them nesting in hedges, but i'm sure they must.

I would have thought any close knitted hedge would be ok.

Are you sure the birds weren't dunnocks? (sometimes called hedge sparrows) they look fairly similar. they do nest in hedges, in fact they nest in my beech hedge!

 

I agree with glenw sparrows nest in holes. Make up a long nest box with seperate compartments, holes should be 32mm.

What you may have seen is the young sparrows in the hedge and the parents going in to feed them.

Trevor

 

Hedge Sparrow, Dunnock,or Prunella Modularis to give them their proper name are the small slate and brown streaked coloured sparrow type that creep along the base of hedges and amongst flower borders.

It prefers to nest in Hawthorn type hedges or somehting similar so that it can be protected from predators.The nest is a small round cup lined with soft material and the small eggs are sky blue in colour.

They in know way would nest in a lavender hedge or any type of hedge that could be easily got into by cats or other predators.

Hope this info helps

 

I'd be quite prepared to tolerate a high hedge there for them. I plan to let it grow tall but cut the lower sections back so it doesn't intrude upon walking space around.

 

the beech hedge they nested in last year was about 8 foot tall but I have cut it down to about 6 foot now and they are already proclaiming their territories for this year.

 

My Dunnock nests in a large conifer,the group of house sparrows that frequent my garden seek the sanctuary of a firethorn it keeps the sparrow hawk at bay, if you want them to nest put a row of nest boxes under your eaves,the boxing in of the eaves that they now do on new builds has added to the decline of the humble house sparrow.