Name/TitleSparrow trap
About this objectSparrow trap, with bait plate and jaws with 19 teeth.
Sparrows are versatile birds living in farmland hedgerows as well as in towns and cities. They have a varied appetite and will eat grain, seeds, flowers and fruit. In gardens they are particularly partial to eating the growing tips of seedlings which is why they were once considered as a garden pest. Sparrows were once considered legal game, commonly being eaten in rural recipes such as sparrow pie. Traps were often laid to catch sparrows before they could attack crops. Despite this the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) suggests that populations of sparrows have drastically declined since 1970 which has led to them being added to an endangered species list. It is thought their decline is due mainly to changes in farming practices and natural predation.
This object was part of our Every Garden Matters Exhibition from 9 April to 8 October 2022.
Medium and MaterialsMade from iron.
MeasurementsLength: 200mm
Max Width: 60mm
Object numberSTMEA:A.3012
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial (cc)
