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Swallow sleeps over door

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  • 03-07-2011 10:23pm
    #1
    migemo
    Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭


    Hi. Just wondering if its the norm for a swallow to sleep over a back door. Just sleeps there every night. No nest. He did the same last year. He comes at the same time every night. Doesn't seem too bothered about us going in and out or the dog either. We live out in the country so no other houses near.


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    #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Not typical of a Swallow. They normally roost communally on wires. House Martins do so in tress. Odd behaviour!


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    #3
    Kess73
    Registered Users Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    A bit odd alright. I wonder if it is a sick bird.



    Edit: Just noticed the OP said the same thing happened last year as well.

    Any chance there was a nest site anywhere nearby on the house last year or the year before that?


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    #4
    B_Fanatic
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭B_Fanatic


    I don't know about not having a nest, but there are about 9/10 nests scattered around our house near the gutters at the roof. They seem happy enough.

    Offtopic: The other day one flew into our bathroom. When he calmed down I got a light hold of him and put him outside where he flew off happily enough :D It was deadly


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    #5
    migemo
    Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭migemo


    Thanks guys. Yeah loads of swallows around but no nests that we could find. Must be tho. Its def a male with really long tail. Am i right in thinking that the males group together at night while the females tend the nest? Hope he's not ill. kinda cool having him around.


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    #6
    mr.wiggle
    Registered Users Posts: 842 ✭✭✭mr.wiggle


    Hi, there's a few pairs of swallows that have nests about the factory where i work, and they are now also roosting over the employee entrance with their fledged chicks for the past couple of weeks. Maybe they enjoy the activity? left work last night at 4am, and the noise out of them was crazy, I'd swear it was like your mother shouting up the stairs at you to shut up and go to sleep !!!


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    #7
    E39MSport
    Registered Users Posts: 3,730 ✭✭✭E39MSport


    My experience of the swallows around my home is that they have roosted at chosen nest site in advance of building.

    Is it a male OP?


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    #8
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    I have seen swallows live on ledges at head height in outhouses that regularly had people coming in and out. They didn't seem to mind.


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    #9
    migemo
    Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭migemo


    Definitely a male and definitely a swallow. There are 3 sheds where they usually nest but haven't this year yet. Fab creatures. He stayed there for the whole of last summer. Will have a real good look over the weekend for nests. Thinking of calling him Gulliver.


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