Practical Gardening: Homemade Bird Trap

The secret for trapping small birds in this kind of a bird trap is the funnel. Hence, it's called a Repeating Funnel Trap. It is "repeating" because the trap doesn't need to be reset after trapping a bird. It is a passive trap that can catch multiple birds.

The funnel must allow the bird to pass through easily without much restriction coming in from the outside. As a funnel, the entrance outside is taller and wider. It gradually narrows toward the exit inside the bird trap cage.

The funnel is positioned on the cage floor. Bait is strewn along the funnel from the inside and center of the bird trap and a little bait is left just outside of the entrance just to entice the birds.

This particular Funnel Repeating Bird Trap has two funnels that are positioned opposite each other at the ends of the bird cage.

Trapping Sparrows for the Bird Trap

To trap sparrows, you need to understand their body size for that will determine the size of the opening that will become the trap funnel exit hole. An exit hole inside the cage with a height of roughly 2 1/2" high and a width of 2" is enough for a sparrow to pass through.

The entrance hole of 3 1/2" high and 3" wide is large enough to entice sparrows and other small birds to enter the trap cage. They don't need to fly in. What happens is they land on the staging platform or porch in front of the entrance hole, browse around and then enter the funnel hole.

Steps for Cutting and Forming the Funnel

With a pair of cutting pliers or tin snips, cut a trapezoid shape which measures 8 inches high, 6 inches on top and 9 inches at the base. This is a small piece so cut from the scrap screen material leftover from cutting the pattern for the bird trap housing. Shown below is the trapezoid shape with the correct dimensions.
Bend and roll the trapezoid-shaped screen material into a cone-like structure. Depending on the thickness of wire, it may take a while and you may need some force to retain the cone shape. Be careful with the pointed and rough edges. Eventually, you want the to have an "inverted U" shape for the funnel two ends that will make up the entrance and exit.
Let the now formed bird trap funnel stand along its edge so it looks like a little tunnel. The bigger hole will become the funnel entrance and the smaller hole is the funnel exit. The funnel entrance will be positioned flush to the one of the vertical sides (Left or Right panel) of the bird trap housing. Therefore, the entrance hole of the funnel needs be cut so its edge is vertical. Cut a a piece of masking tape around 9 inches long. Position the masking tape vertically at the funnel entrance hole as shown below.

You may also use an appropriate pen marker to mark the vertical line, but I prefer the masking tape since it is more visible to me. Because the screen material is shiny, the pen markers I used do not show up well.
Cut around the bird trap funnel along the edge of the masking tape as shown below.

You only need to keep the funnel entrance hole vertical because it will be attached to the vertical side panel. Leave the funnel exit hole, as is, for now.

How to Install the Funnel in the Bird Trap

Cut an entrance hole in the middle of a side panel of the bird trap cage. The entrance hole measure 3 1/2 inches tall and 3 inches wide. Cut the entrance hole starting from the cage floor. Do this for both the right and left panels of the bird trap housing.
Position the bird trap funnel inside the bird trap housing. The funnel's entrance is positioned flush to the side panel's entrance hole. Shown below are the two funnels properly positioned inside the bird trap housing.

Here's another view of the bird trap housing with the two funnels opposite each other.

Note that the Top Panel of the bird trap housing has not been attached yet to the Left, Front and Right panels. This is to allow you to install the other parts of the bird trap inside the housing. The Top Panel will be attached when all parts inside the bird trap cage are completed.
The funnel will be attached to the bird trap cage floor via hooks. The hooks will be formed from the protruding wire spikes on the funnel edges. These spikes resulted when you cut the funnel. With a pair of long-nose pliers, bend the tip of the spikes into the shape of a hook. The formed hook will then be fastened to a wire on the floor (or bottom panel) of the bird trap cage. Shown below is a hook of the funnel fastened to a wire near the funnel entrance.

You only need to create four of these hooks so that the funnel is secured to the floor of the bird trap cage. Two of these hooks are at the funnel entrance and two at the funnel exit. Shown below is hook fastened near the funnel exit as seen from below (bottom view).

Once fastened, be sure there are no loose hooks and the funnel is both secure and immobile.
After fastening the four hooks of the funnel to the floor of the bird trap cage, examine and feel the bottom of the cage or housing. If there are still protruding spikes, trim them off. This ensures the bird trap will lie flat on a surface and will not scratch you.
Create a couple of hooks also to fasten the funnel entrance to the side panel. So the funnel will now be fastened to the bottom and the side panel. This will keep the entire structure rigid.
Cut the wire rim on the funnel exit. You will end up with spikes. The spikes prevent the trapped birds from going near and perching on the funnel exit.

Shown below is one of the funnels with hooks fastened near the funnel exit. Notice the spikes at the funnel exit.

Here's another view of the funnel exit showing the spikes.

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Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Funnels

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