On Thu, 25 Apr 1996, Charles Evans wrote:

> Hi Dan: In a message to tweeters some time ago you referred to a bird
> house with a sparrow restrictive openning. This allowed violet green
> swallows access. I would greatly appreciate a description of this means
> excluding sparrows, or a reference where I could find this information.
> It would probably be of interest to others on tweeters too. I gave up
> attempts to attract vg swallows years ago because of the pesky sparrows!

Hi Chuck and Tweets,

Below is a Sparrow restrictive house design I've had success with in the city.

Violet-green SWALLOW HOUSE - Urbanites

/-------------------------------/|
/ / |
/ / |
/ /| |
/______________________________/ | |
| ___ | | 6"
| ( ___ ) | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | /
| | / 4"
|-------------------------------|/
8"

The opening is an oblong 7/8" high by 2" wide. This can be made
by drilling two 7/8" holes and using a keyhole saw to cut out the extra
wood in the middle. The bottom of the entrance should be 3" from the
bottom of the house. This entrance shape keeps out House Sparrows while
allowing Violet-green Swallows in. The design of this house is by Hubert
Prescott, taken from a sheet published by the Black Hills Audubon Society.

An alternative opening is an elongated diamond 7/8" high and 3
1/2" wide designed by Gene Derig of Anacortes, WA. Besides the VG's I had
a pair of Black-capped Chicadees accept the diamond opening version of
this house last year, even though it was suspended under the eave of the
roof!

Dan Victor
Wallingford District of Seattle
dvictor at u.washington.edu