Both starlings and house sparrows are much too numerous for trapping to be a viable solution. As Rob's anecdotal information hints (400 birds in 2 months!), you might end up spending more time tending traps than enjoying birds at your feeders. You'll be far better off if you study the natural history both of the birds you wish to encourage, and those you wish to discourage and try to model your bird feeding activities accordingly. Instead of, or in addition to feeders, consider landscaping for wildlife. Nothing is better at drawing in native species than native food sources and appropriate habitat.

That being said, a quick search of the internet turned up the following information on discouraging starlings and house sparrows at feeders:

From birdfeedercentral.com


Starlings
To discourage starlings: Feed thistle seed, sunflower hearts, and fruits only. Stop feeding sunflower seed in the shell, suets and all mixed seeds. Starlings will not stay around long if they are not getting the foods they like from your feeders. However, if you want to divert them away from your feeders, then set out a suet feeder away from your main feeding area.



House Sparrows
To thwart house sparrows, develop your feeding program around small hanging feeders that do not provide the secure footing that they require. Avoid stable platform feeders or feeding tables. Feed black-oil sunflower seed and thistle. Sparrows like seed mixtures that contain corn, oats, milo, wheat, millet; however, these are seeds liked, also, by towhees, juncos, tree sparrows, etc. In the end you may decide that house sparrows are not enough of a nuisance to bother with trying to discourage. Many folks welcome them and hope their presence, along with an abundance of easily obtainable food, will attract a wide variety of other birds. You may also use a diversion strategy: put out their favorite foods in a feeder away from other feeders.
==================================
Kevin Mack
Naturalist
PAWS Wildlife Department
Lynnwood, WA
www.paws.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Sandelin [mailto:floriferous at msn.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 9:30 PM
To: 'Dave Parent'; 'Lydia Bishop'; 'Tweeters'
Subject: RE: [Tweeters] Junk Birds Eating My Feeder Dry!


House sparrows and starlings are not protected by the migratory bird act. You can trap em, shoot em, whatever. You can buy sparrow traps on ebay from time to time. I have been told they work pretty well but never tried them myself. Of course then you have to deal with the sparrows in the trap. I heard of someone who got more than 400 in two months.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, teacher
In the wilds near Maltby, WA







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