Stopping the birds nesting under the eve of the house

oakshade

Hi folks,

I hope you can help - for the past two spring/summers - birds (swallows?) have been nesting under the eve of the house. There are at least 2-3 nests on the house and the same on the garage. I don't mind so much but the footpaths below are getting destroyed and we have small children...

In the past I have been removing the nests as they are building them, but they can work faster than me :-) Once the nests are established and I know there are eggs/baby birds I just leave them alone.

Well they are back again this year and the battle commences once more. Any advice to keep them away?

Any help is really appreciated.

byte

I have seen households with plastic shopping bags tied up at the eaves to deter birds (bag is bunched like a bow, with the ends allowed to flutter in the wind).

I've also seen CD's being used for same reason.

Not sure how effective either method is - just what I saw on my travels!

lorebringer

Half of my neightbours have plastic bags rustling out their windows at the moment to stop Swallows nesting - seems to be working because by this time last year there were quite a few nests but there appears to be none so far this year. Just tie them around the window handle and let them blow out the window. Cheap and cheerful!

ppink

Are they housemartins?

we had them but I think our house sparrow pretty much harassed them out of their nest. he sat on the roof over the nest singing morning noon and night until eventually they had enough and packed up:(

anyway I suppose they dont like noise or activity near their nests.

they have probably travelled a long long distance to nest in your eaves!

Traonach

Put up a wooden shelf under the nests. That will collect the droppings, so no mess.

Another point of note, continuing to destroy the House Martins nest will deplete the body resources of them. They will have to put alot of energy into building the nest since you are destroying their home. These will lead to them having less productivity when rearing their young. No doubt chicks/nestling will starve because of your actions. Shameful:mad:

oppenheimer1

Knock down the established nests, best way to do it. Clean the areas thoroughly, and if its a really smooth surface they're building up against, try treating the area with a lubricant (WD 40).

IrishHomer

This is crazy this thread should be locked!

All wild birds including their nests are protected by law. If bird **** is such a problem for a few weeks of your summer get up off your ass buy a bucket and a brush and some warm water!

Merch

I think the bags would be more annoying to me, what kind of sight does that look like?
If they are just over the path, dont really see how that affects children?

I'm sure House martins and swallows eat flying insects, lots of them, maybe you will be inundated with winged insects when they are gone?

I kinda wish there were 2-3 nests under my eaves, I did have some nesting on the eaves once over the window and the mess did mean I had to leave the window closed, unfortunately I see no housemartins around here anymore.

What area are you in? wondering where they are nesting?

Traonach

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Knock down the established nests, best way to do it. .

:eek:
Somebody needs to knock you on the head.........

Merch

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Knock down the established nests, best way to do it. Clean the areas thoroughly, and if its a really smooth surface they're building up against, try treating the area with a lubricant (WD 40).

I'd need to confirm, but I'm pretty sure thats actually illegal

IrishHomer

I can confirm any intentional disturbance to wild birds and their nests is illegal!

borderlinemeath

Your actions are fairly ignorant and selfish to be honest.

I look forward every year to the swallows return and nesting in my outhouse.
Yes there's droppings but they're easily cleaned up.

And how would you like it if somebody kept knocking down a home that you had built to protect your family? I'm sure you would be upset, angry and frustrated.

And by the way, if you have swallows nesting nearby - you will have far less insects flying about - as they're what swallows eat. Your children are far more likely to get a bite or a sting from an insect than catching anything from swallow droppings.

Hellrazer

oakshade wrote: »

In the past I have been removing the nests as they are building them, but they can work faster than me :-) Once the nests are established and I know there are eggs/baby birds I just leave them alone.

Well they are back again this year and the battle commences once more. Any advice to keep them away?

Any help is really appreciated.

Removing nests is illegal.

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Knock down the established nests, best way to do it. Clean the areas thoroughly, and if its a really smooth surface they're building up against, try treating the area with a lubricant (WD 40).

Recommending someone remove the nests is against forum rules.

Traonach wrote: »

:eek:
Somebody needs to knock you on the head.........

Responding to trolls is against the rules aswell.

Thread locked.