As we enter our 4th year . . .

After 5 years of using and 3 years of building and selling Magic Halos as a non-profit cottage industry, the most recent data shows that success is dependent on the following:

• Feeder systems out in the open, away from trees, shrubs, garden furniture, fences, rails and other perch areas that serve as gathering and launch points.
• 
  Fall-Winter-Spring feeding only. Juvenile HOSP are immune, therefore, remove feeding systems through Summer and into early Autumn. The later in the Fall you restart, the higher your Halo efficacy is likely to be (winter is highest).
• Feed husk seeds only (black oil sunflower, safflower). HOSP will crack and eat these, but they much prefer millet, seed hearts and other readily eaten foods. If other opportunities are present, they may divert elsewhere.
• An area or neighborhood that is free from deliberate or otherwise abundant HOSP nesting facilities. For example, if people are providing nest boxes with 1.25"+ holes without monitoring, local colonization will be high with increased rates of juvenile Halo adaptation.
• 
  Hanging wires that are long enough to cover the lowest perch on your feeder. Failure to do so could see HOSP flying in from below (ext’s here).
• Adding additional hanging wires remains subjective. Results are mixed from customer to customer. We always recommend starting with 4 wires, upping it to 6 if it appears all else has failed (<75% efficacy). Often times, buyers of 6 keep the extra 2 as spares.
• A fairly level Halo; if your shepherd hook is too small, and is forcing it down on an angle, pull open the hoop at one of the inside crossbar set screws and bring it around the staff (staff now inside the Halo).
• Acceptance that you may not reach 100% Halo efficacy. Adjust your expectations to e.g. 80-90%. The Magic Halo is a HOSP deterrent, not -proof. One can only determine this by carefully observing with vs w/o use of the Halo and its hanging wires. If you observe fewer HOSP with the Halo, then continued use still makes sense.

IF you are unable to eradicate the majority of HOSP regardless of steps taken, consider adding a platform or tray below your feeder(s) to contain fallen seed. HOSP by nature are very aggressive birds, and this also shows in their eating habit. Feeders mobbed by HOSP will empty it in very little time, with most seed going to the ground uneaten. A tray will at least help contain and ensure that most of your seed investment remains at the feeder, and does get eaten. Trays also help facilitate Cardinals, and will make it easier for them to overcome their mild aversion to lines/wires.

Read our Magic Halo User’s Guide for additional tips and advice. You can also join the Facebook groups House Sparrow Control and Birdhouses, Bird Feeders & Garden Designs for Native Species to share your experiences and seek the input of others. 

Early 2021 Efficacy Survey Results: Analysis

Our 2021 Magic Halo Efficacy Survey has just arrived, and the results are flowing in. If you haven't already, please click HERE to participate. It's only 3 multiple choice questions, and 100% safe and secure.

If you have already participated, and are among ~25% reporting poor or failed results, feel free to email us (include a photo of your feeder and halo, if possible) anytime for troubleshooting measures that we hope will turn things around for you: admin@magichalo.org. Please take note of the following:

• If you bought your Halo before Sept 2019, the model "Classic" was only offered with 30" hanging wires in a 4 line config. This was ample length for most ordinary tube and hopper feeders, but the weighted ends fell about even or slightly above the feeding ports on jumbo tubes (e.g. Yankee Flipper, Brome Squirrelbuster Plus, etc). If this is you, we offer free wire extenders to anyone who requests them from before that time period. Email us at: admin@magichalo.org
  
• Consider adding additional hanging wires. Some of our customers report this as making the difference. If it is juvenile House Sparrows (HOSP), it may not make much difference, however, given their immunity to halos and lines-type devices in the first place. It's a matter of experimentation. If you are planning to add your own additional wires as a test, just ensure you add makeshift weights on the ends to tension them.
  
• Among those reporting poor results, all but one feed year-round. The evidence suggests that HOSP deterrence is highest when the Halo is installed in the Autumn with continued feeding through Winter and mid-Spring. Feeding through the Summer may see Juveniles appear at your feeder, followed by continued immunity with adult adaptation into Winter and beyond. After 4 straight years at 100% deterrence, we fed through the Summer for the first time in 2020 and are having this problem now. We plan to "reset" our feeders by returning to a Fall-Winter-Spring schedule in 2021, and see if we return to 100% HOSP deterrence as in years past.
  
• It seems to be the case that the presence of the Halo and its hanging wires does incite anxiety and nervousness in HOSP, and their visits shorter as a result. You may consider removing your Halo for a few weeks, and observe behavior in order to demonstrate any differences in this regard, and their numbers overall. 
• Seed type and feeder design does not appear to make a difference so far. Husk seeds such as black oil sunflower or safflower still attract HOSP to feeders, where they may decide it's too much work to crack seeds. Because of this, they may move on elsewhere -- making this an effective deterrent in itself.
  
• If you are one of those that saw Halo deterrence rates start to drop in the Summer with continued HOSP presence into Winter, consider taking down your feeder(s) by late Spring and reinstall come Oct or Nov. This may have the effect of "resetting" your system, with Juvenile HOSP having moved elsewhere, e.g. neighbor's feeders or other food sources in the region.
  
• If you are on Facebook, consider joining one or both of these groups, which include lively discussions about HOSP and the use of Halos and similar means to control them: Birdhouses, Bird Feeders & Garden Designs for Native Species | House Sparrow Control
  

Our 2021 survey results are following a similar trajectory as years past, that at least 3/4 of users are seeing some level of positive results. We would love for this percentage to be higher so again, if you want us to try and help, email your questions and include a photo of your feeding station setup for analysis: admin@magichalo.org. Thank you so much! --Admin, Magic Halo

Are neighbors to blame for drop in Halo efficacy?

The view over the fence into our neighbor's yard

As always, and in spite of good survey results, we at magichalo.org are striving to learn why there can be a significant difference in House Sparrow (HOSP) behavior from year to year, and from one Magic Halo user to the next.

Starting in 2015, we were 100% HOSP-free at our feeders with halos. Given the success, we designed and produced our own Magic Halos for on-line sale. Then last year, for the first time, our halo efficacy dropped by ~20%. HOSP were now part of the feeder mix, albeit brief visits -- not full time or to the exclusion of native birds. Now in Spring 2021, HOSP are a regular presence, with young adult pairs going around menacing our nest boxes and platforms that are designed for native birds that include Chickadees, Wrens Mourning Doves, Robins, etc. The Halo continues its job in deflecting most HOSP from the feeders, at about 80%.

What changed from 2015-2019 to 2020? We fed through the entire year in 2020, including Summer, which may have contributed to the issue of HOSP juvenile Halo adaption/immunity. But a recent look over our fence may provide an even better explanation. Our western neighbor installed multiple nest boxes, well designed and situated for HOSP. We think this may have begun in 2019, but cannot be certain since we rarely looked over the fence.

Purple Martin house overtaken by House Sparrows

A weakness of the Magic Halo is HOSP juvenile immunity and adaptation into adulthood. If your neighbors are providing cavity nesting sites, they can rapidly multiply, with your yard and gardens as their home territory. If the young birds are using your feeders as juveniles, then it is possible that no counter-measures will deter them, because they will have grown into its presence. This is a theory, that just happens to match the evidence. But it makes a lot of sense.

It is much better not to install a nest box than to allow HOSP to reproduce in one. Unfortunately, many boxes are sold on the cheap, in stores like Home Depot or Lowes. These often have 1.25"+ entrance holes -- the minimum diameter that HOSP can fit through. These (and sadly, many Purple Martin communal houses) end up as breeding meccas for HOSP. Without active education at the point of sale, most buyers believe that they are "helping wildlife" regardless of species occupant. Even some specialty stores avoid the topic, and even encourage their customers with HOSP feeding and nesting. They may be afraid of the perceived monetary loss (selling less seed). On the other hand, they should know and understand the non-native, invasive and damaging nature of HOSP (and Starlings) on the north American continent. Any gains made by Bluebirds, for example, are largely owed to conservationists who are up to the task of monitoring and evicting HOSP from nest boxes. For those of us living in urban or suburban areas, simply dropping the hole diameter to 1.12" (1 1/8") will safely accommodate native species such as Chickadees and Wrens while excluding HOSP from entry.

As part of our ongoing Halo experiments and efforts at continuous improvement, we began trapping and clearing HOSP from the property in the 2nd week of April. Halo efficacy has returned to almost 100%, given that it disrupted this newly created colony as described above. In a return to years past, we are taking down our feeders for the June-Aug time period. We also wrote a friendly letter to our neighbor, explaining the HOSP problem in the hopes that they will adapt their boxes with hole size reducers and distribute them properly. Stay tuned on these efforts.

Humans created this problem 150 years ago by deliberately releasing HOSP mated pairs in urban centers across the U.S. Now we must try and reduce them, using all the tools in the toolbox. This includes halo/hoop devices, spookers, traps, or whatever means are necessary. Below are several valuable links you can use in your own efforts to control the scourge of HOSP, and maximize your Halo's efficacy and thus help native birds:

Managing House Sparrows (the most comprehensive guide, includes site map and history)

Magic Halo User Guide (measures to improve your Magic Halo's efficacy)

Backyard Birds (YouTube videos that include trapping and eradicating)
House Sparrow Control (Facebook)
Birdhouses, Bird Feeders & Garden Designs for Native Species (Facebook)

How to get rid of HOSP in your yard (The Spruce)

Possible House Sparrow Juvenile to Adult Timeline

Thanks to Cornell U's Lab of Ornithology, we might have a better understanding of when House Sparrows (HOSP) fully mature. Juveniles are generally immune to halos and other lines/wires devices. According to this infographic, HOSP may not reach adulthood until sometime in mid-Nov, on average, throughout its range. We continue to wonder if continued adaptation is the case, especially if HOSP are resident and mature on site, where you live.

A single HOSP pair can spawn 10 to 20 fledglings per year. If you are one of only a few feeders in the neighborhood, they may be abundant -- regardless of seed type you are using. We know that the Magic Halo isn't always 100% effective, and in some cases, may only "help". Juvenile populations may account for that, since they begin to resemble adults as the post-nesting season goes on. Despite this issue, most folks will acknowledge that they are still better off using a Halo than not. Read about HOSP proliferation, courtesy of Sialis, HERE.

Magic Halo Disclaimer

We did not invent the concept of Lines (halo/wires) surrounding bird feeders, and cannot guarantee that it is House Sparrow (HOSP)-proof given the myriad of designs and contexts that they are placed in. Though our survey data is largely favorable, it is also limited to just 12% of our customers who choose to participate, and assumes that they can correctly identify HOSP.

The original paper from the University of Nebraska published in 1994 did confirm that juvenile (first year) HOSP are Lines-tolerant. If you feed all year long, the deterrence rate may decline in warmer months, with juvenile-adult acclimation continuing indefinitely. HOSP breeding and colonization nearby may also contribute. Overall, Sialis estimates a 88-94% deterrence rate in Winter and 84% in Summer. To disrupt adaptation, we recommend feeding only in Fall-Winter-Spring.

New Magic Halo users should start out expecting a reduction in HOSP, and (possibly) better behavior for those that do adapt. If results are poor, you may need to "reset" your feeder system with a few months down time, switch seed type, or consider modifications. A few of our customers have resorted to trapping to improve Halo efficacy, with claims of success. Please read our Users Guide for full details on how to optimize and get the most from your Magic Halo and feeding in general.

Before deciding on your purchase, please read the following from FeederWatch and Sialis. In judging Halo efficacy, we ask that you examine your results with vs without, before vs after, and whether or not there's at least a net improvement in your bird feeding experience.

Magic Halo is a conservation-minded cottage industry. We do everything we possibly can to minimize cost, and bring you the product at the lowest price possible. Please see our Return Policy HERE.

Flashback: Bird-X "Sparrow-Free Magic Halo" (defunct)

Before we began building and selling feeder halos at MagicHalo.org, there was at least one commercial version offered by a company called "Bird-X". It was 30" in diameter, required assembly of numerous pieces, and used string instead of steel hanging wires. It was marketed as adaptable to both hanging and pole-mounted bird feeders. The 30" design meant that the halo "hoop" had to be opened and brought over and around the shepherds hook, making it more cumbersome than our 20" that fits easily and neatly within.

The original Bird-X ad is still on Amazon, listed as "unavailable", but does not come up in a search. Buyer reviews are mixed, with roughly equal ratings across 5 stars, with the final average of 3 stars. Most 1-2 star reviews say that the halo just didn't work, or stopped working after a week or so, and/or it was cumbersome and difficult to assemble. As expected, 4-5 star reviews say that the product is excellent, and that most or all House Sparrows (HOSP) have been eliminated from their feeder(s).

Assuming the 1-2 star folks did assemble and install this halo correctly, and used the hanging wires (in this case string), one would expect at least some HOSP deterrence, so what was really going on here? That we will never know, and can only ponder how such an opposite pattern of behavior can occur within the same species. (NOTE: One thing we do know; if you're building your own halo, or adding hanging wires to your existing halo, do NOT use string as it invites tangling and injury of birds coming in contact. Steel wire in the 24-gauge (AWG) range resists this potential problem).

Two big problems for Bird-X was the complicated assembly and using "sparrow-free" in their marketing strategy. It produced the highest of expectations, thus setting up many customers (and themselves) for disappointment. For a product like the magic halo, where birds are hardly predictable and are known to vary their habits region to region, such an absolutist approach just wasn't going to work.

Magic Halo "Deluxe" with 6 hanging wires

Therefore, at MagicHalo.org, we took a different approach: build and offer a halo version that's readily assembled, has modest expectations, and includes a juvenile disclaimer (juvenile HOSP are generally immune to halos). Expectations are based on our own survey results indicating that overall, most users experience 80-100% adult HOSP deterrence, or at the very least, that native birds are provided a fairer chance. Since Jan 2018, using this approach, we have sold almost 220 magic halos with what appears widespread customer satisfaction.

In order for us to continue learning about HOSP and halo effectiveness, we need buyer feedback. If you are a MagicHalo.org customer and have not yet taken our efficacy survey, please visit out Support page for the latest link. Only with your feedback can we accurately describe and market halos to bird feeding enthusiasts. We also remind everyone that we offer enhancements for both our Classic and Deluxe model halos that can help you adjust and/or improve its performance. These include adding additional hanging wires, or lengthening your existing wires.

Note: All new halo buyers are now offered the option of 38" (over 32") length hanging wires to ensure the weights fall below the plain of the feeding ports found near the bottom of jumbo-sized tube feeders. To that end, we sincerely ask for your feedback if you are the user of a Brome, Droll Yankees or other jumbo-size tube feeder with the standard 32". You can take the survey and leave it in the comments field, or email us at: admin@magichalo.org. Thank you so much.

Magic Halo 3-years in Review

To start 2022 in a good direction, let’s recap the most critical articles of the past few years. Some of our customers have passed the 3-year warranty point of their Magic Halo, and should be mindful of the toll that the elements may take on it. We carry all replacement parts at lower cost than retail from e.g. Lowes or Home Depot, available just by emailing us. Replacement wire sets are already offered on our products page. We will also have a Halo tune-up and safety check video coming out with the Spring edition of our newsletter. In the meantime, please review these past titles for anything that may help your bird-feeding and Halo experience:

• 2021 Magic Halo Survey, Final Results
• Are neighbors to blame for drop in Halo efficacy?
• Is your feeder wasting bird seed? Quick tip on what to look for
• Quick Tip: Use a tiny binder clip to shorten hanging wires
• Customers confusing HOSP with native species
• Possible House Sparrow Juvenile to Adult Timeline
• Test Case: Year-Round Feeding
• Hanging hardware will rust or tarnish (but not to worry)
• Strap Hanger Safety Inspection
• Latest Testimonials and Feedback, 2020
• Mod #2 Announced: Brome 30"+ Length Feeders
• Flashback: Bird-X "Sparrow-Free Magic Halo" (defunct)
• Latest Testimonials, Fall 2019
• Simple modification guards against feeder disconnect
• Experimenting with a Bluebird nest box

It is important to note that Magic Halo is a conservation-minded cottage industry. We do everything we possibly can to minimize cost, and bring you this product at the lowest price possible. If you were to round up the parts individually at e.g. Lowes, it would cost you more to build one of this quality yourself – never mind the labor involved. Just the 24 AWG wire roll alone costs $6, for example. Therefore, we are very happy that we can bring this product to you -- and it arrives with minimal cost and assembly required!  😇

Storage Technique for your Magic Halo

We sometimes receive inquiries from customers on how best to store the Magic Halo during non-use periods. Many birders avoid feeding from late Spring thru Summer to avoid enticing juvenile House Sparrows and facilitating adaptation into adulthood.

The best suggestion we have is to hang it on a wall hook, similar to our in-store photos. Here are several examples you can use, in this case, against a white wall. Some customers hang it on a nail behind their shed, for example, or in the shed or other safe structure.

Magic Halo Newsletter, Winter 2021

Web version HERE. Includes:

• 2021 Efficacy Survey Has Arrived
• Possible HOSP Juvenile to Adult Timeline?
• Bye bye UPS; back to USPS
• Other News/Misc

2021 Magic Halo Efficacy Survey Has Arrived!

Our 2021 Magic Halo Efficacy Survey has arrived. Please click HERE. It's only 3 multiple choice questions, and 100% safe and secure.

Even if you just took the 2020 survey, we ask that you please take this one too, and anytime a new one is presented. This is your chance to record your results, positive or negative. You can also let us know if you have stopped using your Halo for any reason.

 Halo efficacy can vary over time. Like FeederWatch, your data helps determine how best to market the Magic Halo -- which in the long run helps wildlife conservation.

Before you begin, please be sure of what you are seeing, that you can fully identify House Sparrows (HOSP). Do the best you can to compare before vs after, with vs without using the Magic Halo.

Try not to count juvenile HOSP, which are immune to Halos and other lines and wire devices. These can be difficult to discern from adults as the Summer goes on, if you feed year-round.

Visit our website for articles, mods and additional products that may help you to improve Halo performance.

For all issues and inquiries, please contact us at: admin@magichalo.org. Thank you so much!

Magic Halo User's Guide

Updated 08-27-2021 | The following will help you adjust, and/or make changes in order to optimize your Magic Halo's performance. It will also help limit birdseed waste and thus reduce cost. But first and foremost, please visit Sialis' Other Brown Birds page to make absolutely sure that you are not confusing adult House Sparrows (HOSP) with other similar native species. This article from Feeder Watch is also quite helpful.

NOTE: According to the original U or Neb studies, Juvenile HOSP may not be deterred, having not yet learned the "danger" of the hanging wires. Usually, these aren't many, however, some users have reported large numbers during the breeding season and into Summer and Fall. "Juvies", as they are called, generally appear as female adults across both sexes given the male's immature bib. Some adult HOSP may begin tolerating the halo in poor weather or desperation, or if they adapted to it as juveniles over the Summer. Please see our disclaimer for details.

TIPS & ADVICE (in no particular order; mostly based on customer feedback):

• First: Make sure your pole & hook system is squirrel-proof, by using a baffle mounted about 4' high from the ground. Also place it as far into the open as possible, as squirrels can leap as far as 10' from the nearest fence, tree, or other objects. It is best to make sure your feeder is at least 5 feet from the ground, as squirrels can jump almost that high. Visit "The Spruce" for an excellent article on the subject.
• Feeder arrangements that are adjacent to bushes or shrubs may weaken Halo performance. We have observed HOSP congregate and use these to launch from close by, helping negate the presence of the hanging wires. It is recommended that feeder setups and their Halo(s) be placed out in the open, on a shepherds hook(s), where HOSP must fly in from more of a distance.
• When installing your Magic Halo, hang the feeder as high and close to the hanger as possible. Many feeders have a needlessly long tether, and this may cause the lower portions of the feeder to hang below the plane of the vertical wire nuts. If the tether can be shortened, by either looping or knotting it, it is best to do so as the 20" hoop (the halo itself) is considered part of the deterrence system. The more contained your feeder is inside the Halo, the more effective. If necessary, consider lengthening the hanging wires (see below).
• Straighten the hanging wires. Run your fingers down each vertical wire, pinching the entire length, to ensure they are straight and not bent or wavy. We are not clear how much difference this makes, but the original Magic Halo was intended for use with these being as linear as possible. It also ensures maximize length of the wires.
• Lengthen the hanging wires. The hanger on some tube feeder models is so long that the lowest feeding station(s) ends up at the lowest point of your Magic Halo's hanging wires. If you find HOSP are breaching below the weights because of this, lengthen them to at least 6" below. The more the better, as long as you maintain at least 4' from the ground. Email us if you think you require these: admin@magichalo.org
• For some customers, adding 2 more hanging wires (for a total of 6) makes the difference. All Magic Halo models are now designed for additional wires, and the older "Classic" can be readily adapted (instruction video HERE). But we advise doing this as a last resort, given the narrowed distance between wires and increased likelihood of striking them.
• Consider feeding only one seed type per feeder, as opposed to mixing it. Birds often become food-fixated and if your seed is the mixed variety, they will dig and dig looking for just that one seed they want -- spilling everything else in the process. We typically have two main feeders: black oil sunflower in one and safflower in the other. Both of these alone may help discourage HOSP, given the work involved to crack husks.
• Consider which seed type(s) you are feeding. HOSP are used to eating refuse, and as mentioned above, aren't as used to cracking shells to get at it. According to Sialis, just switching to black oil sunflower alone can reduce HOSP at your feeder, especially if neighbors are feeding millet varieties. They also recommend straight safflower.
• Add a decoy feeder nearby, stocked with milo, millets, cracked corn, or other cheap HOSP-friendly foods. Customer feedback suggests that this is an effective method for diverting HOSP away from your primary feeder setup. Different seed types HERE.
• Scatter millets, cracked corn, or other cheap HOSP-friendly food on the ground, or in a tray on the ground at the base of your pole/shepherd hook. When cleaning your feeder(s), it is also a great place to put any leavings. This simple method may divert HOSP from your feeders, keeping them on the ground instead.
• Try "resetting" your system. If HOSP are still regular visitors to your feeder, remove it for several weeks or a month and they may go elsewhere. To test your efficacy, you can remove the Halo and observe any increase in HOSP numbers, their time spent there, as well as behavior changes at the trough/feeding stations. Some customers report that despite HOSP adapting to their Halo, most are still deterred, an those that do breach are better behaved.
• Stop feeding in the Summer; become a Fall thru Spring-only feeding enthusiast. We think out of all the tips presented here, this one may be the most effective. In our own experience, feeding through Summer is most likely to lower Halo efficacy, given the onset of juveniles in late Spring. These are already immune to lines (pdf), and if they rely on your feeding station, they will continue to eat there and adapt into adulthood. Putting out your feeder/Halo in October, for example, may circumvent this problem.
• If none of the above bring you greater than 75% Halo efficacy, trapping HOSP is a viable option with proven results. Most often, it is just a matter of disrupting a resident colony that matured with your feeder(s) and adapted to your feeder/Halo setup. This is usually the result of neighbors providing them nestbox opportunities, that you may not even be aware of. Read about it in our Magic Halo Blog, including valuable tips and links.

Finally, in judging Halo efficacy, we ask that you examine your results with vs without, differences in refill rates, and whether or not there's at least a net improvement in your bird feeding experience. Carefully consider each of the above guidelines. If you remain certain that the Magic Halo has failed to produce any meaningful results, contact us anytime at admin@magichalo.org to discuss a path forward. In the meantime, please check out these very helpful resources:

Lively discussion group on Facebook:

Birdhouses, Feeders & Garden Designs for Native Species

House Sparrow Control

YouTube:

Backyard Birds: Dealing with House Sparrows

Misc Articles:

How to Squirrel-proof a bird feeder

Types of Birdseed for Outdoor Feeders

Do feeder halos keep HOSP at bay?

SIALIS:

Magic Halo and Other Means to Deter House Sparrows from feeders

How to visually identify House Sparrows (HOSP)

Managing House Sparrows

House Sparrow History

Farmers Almanac:

6 Tips To Keep House Sparrows Away From Your Feeders

SparrowTraps.net