House sparrows took over my feeders— even my upside-down suet feeder. What can I do?

Kenn and Kimberly: It’s a tough problem. House sparrows eat practically everything, and they’re very resourceful in accessing most kinds of feeders. You can try offering Nyjer (thistle) seed in a tube-style feeder with very short perches. Goldfinches and siskins readily visit this food source, but house sparrows are more hesitant. Whole peanuts in the shell will attract blue jays and woodpeckers but not sparrows. Some people have tried hanging strings around a feeder, with a metal washer tied to each string to keep them hanging straight—house sparrows don’t seem to like flying through the strings, but other birds will.