Barn swallows building nests...

[bananiem]

above my front door!
I've had a pair of barn swallows that built a nest above a 2nd story window shutter, just under the eaves a few years ago. The last 2 years they've decided right above the front door would be a good place. They make their nests of mud.
I have tried scraping it off repeatedly, sat on the front porch for extended times, played a radio all day long. All of these keep them from actaully landing, but once I go in or turn off the radio they build again.
Last night I decided, in desperation, to tape something up there so they can't make their nest. So we have a plastic bag up there. It looks ridiculous.
SO...Have any of you had this problem? If I tape a fake snake or bird up there would it keep the swallows away? Or will they just peck 'em to "death" and remove them?

 

[kpgclark]

I've heard that you should put an aluminum foil pie plate suspended by a string where you don't want the nest.

 

[Van Helsing]

Why don't you just leave them alone and be thankful of nature.


Some people

 

[monkeyboy]

What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

 

[gallaj0]

African or European?

 

[monkeyboy]

Originally posted by gallaj0
African or European?

Huh? I.. I don't know that.





Auuuuuuuugh

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Originally posted by bananiem
Barn swallows building nests above my front door!

Oh my gosh! "Barn swallows building, nests above my front door!" I can imagine how terrified you were with some large farming animal condo coming to life and eating other buildings like some sort of architectural cannibal. I have seen enough Godzilla movies to know that your only recourse is to call on the National Guard. They will come out with tanks and flame throwers and that should take care of this evil barn. Don't be alarmed if the National Guardsmen talk funny. Every movie I have ever seen the words coming out of their mouths don't match the movement of their lips. They should still be able to handle this situation though.

Jeff

 

[bananiem]

Ok, smarties. We are in the process of moving. We have a buyer. They come over frequently. The birds fly at anybody coming near the door when they have a nest. They make a mess. I need to paint the doorway. In the past I've let them have their nest and taken it down after the eggs hatch. But this year I want them to find somewhere else.
Could we down-play the smart remarks and leave this thread for people who can actually answer my question?

 

[Cruisin]

I have no good advice on how to keep them from building because if they want to do it they are probably going to keep at it.

Would it not be easier to just let them make their nest and have their babies and then get rid of the nest? How long does it take for the eggs to hatch and the babies to leave the nest?

Next year, it won't be your problem any more

 

[sixcats]

If it weren't for the number of replies, I might not have opened the thread. Since you didn't find them amusing(I did!) here's some info:



Barn swallows have taken a fancy to the area directly over her front door, and persist in trying to build their mud-and-twig nests in this area. What to do? Mary asks. The best nonlethal solution for discouraging swallows--or any bird--from building a nest in an unwanted area is to buy some half-inch hardware cloth (screen mesh), and close off the area of interest. The screen can be stapled or otherwise attached to siding or molding. Swallows are usually attracted to a ledge of some sort — a light fixture, a piece of decorative trim, or weathered shingles — where they can make a solid base for their nests. The idea is to make a kind of cage or basket over the area with a steep outer facing of screen. Begin about eight inches above the place where they're building, and continue down eight or so inches below it. Once nesting season is over, the barricades can come down.

 

[Knight]

Originally posted by bananiem
Ok, smart-a##es. Could we down-play the smart remarks and leave this thread for people who can actually answer my question?

If it's all that bad, why don't you call an exterminator or some other professional?

 

[izzy]

I'll be following this thread with interest. I have swallows who made a nest on my front porch, too. I have a plant hanger on the wall, and they've taken a liking to it and that's where they built their nest. The "babies" have started flying, so as soon as they're gone for good, that nest and that plant hanger are coming down. While it was cute to watch, they sure have made a mess of my front porch.

Wish I had some words of advice for you, but it sounds like we're both in the same boat!

 

[AirForceRocks]

Ok, smart-a##es.

As I would hate for you to be banned from the DIS, as some others were for doing this, I would just let the word filter take care of the "bad" words...using special characters to get around the word filter is a bannable offense.

Not trying to be a smart ***, just trying to help you out. Obviously you're stressed out over the house sale, the birds, etc., and I would hate for you to add to your upset by being banned.

 

[Arabella Figg 2003]

or she simply could ahve called them "wise guys".

but then we'd hear a different kind of joke...

 

[hercamore]

Hi,

My only advice is to call your local ag extension office and see what they suggest.

Good luck,

herc.

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by Cruisin'Kroezes
I have no good advice on how to keep them from building because if they want to do it they are probably going to keep at it.

Would it not be easier to just let them make their nest and have their babies and then get rid of the nest? How long does it take for the eggs to hatch and the babies to leave the nest?

Next year, it won't be your problem any more

That is not true. We just moved into a house that was vacant for 6 months. The Barn swallows made a nest over the front door, had their babies, made a huge mess then we took down the nest after the babies left the nest and guess what...they are still trying to build another nest. I've done just about everything like the OP. I swear they watch for my van to leave and then start building again when they know I'm not home. I read about the plastic and will be trying that today. I have two cats, you'd think that would keep the birds away but I think the cats are actually afraid of the swallows cause they have been dive bombing us as we go to the front door. If it weren't for the fact that my handicapped daughter can only use the front door I'd probably leave them there but between the dive bombing making her nervous and the huge mess on the ground that she has to drive through...well, her comfort and my house's cleanliness win.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

You know, I am the first person on this board to defend animals and nature. But I am honestly shocked at the responses the OP has gotten.

She has a problem, and came here for help, as many of us do each day, and what she got was rude, snide comments.

Maybe she loves birds and just doesn't want them abover her door? They can be dirty, have diseases, defecate on her house etc. Maybe the OP has a small child who she does not want exposed to it.

Maybe the OP or a family member is allergic to birds. Or something they are using in their nest. Bird nests attract other animals to the area as well, like the types of animals who prey on bird eggs.

Not only that but if the nest is above her door there is a chance that the nest could fall, and hurt her or one of her kids, or worse, the eggs could break, or born baby birds could die and maybe she does not wish to have a front row seat to something like that.

So why jump to the conclusion that she hates birds and be rude to her, which is what it appears many people have done here.

I don't have much advice. One thing you can do, is if you can get the nest out enough to move it, move it just a little bit away from where it is now, each day move it a little more. Then move it eventually to it's final location. Birds recall the location of their nests well, and if you just destroy it, they'll build another one in it's place. But if you slowly move it away, they will follow it and be none the wiser. I had to do this when some pigeons built a nest on my deck last summer. I let them stay on my deck, but they built it way too close to my grill which I had not used yet and I was more worried about their safety than anything else. But I moved it to the other side of the deck and the birds were fine. We had 2 pigeons born a few weeks later. They were cute.

 

[workinggal]

She has a problem, and came here for help, as many of us do each day, and what she got was rude, snide comments.

Where???? She has gotten very valid responses from several people on here.

Maybe she loves birds and just doesn't want them abover her door? They can be dirty, have diseases, defecate on her house etc. Maybe the OP has a small child who she does not want exposed to it.

Maybe the OP or a family member is allergic to birds. Or something they are using in their nest. Bird nests attract other animals to the area as well, like the types of animals who prey on bird eggs.

Not only that but if the nest is above her door there is a chance that the nest could fall, and hurt her or one of her kids, or worse, the eggs could break, or born baby birds could die and maybe she does not wish to have a front row seat to something like that.

So why jump to the conclusion that she hates birds and be rude to her, which is what it appears many people have done here.

And if allergies were a concern, I don't think she would ahve let them build the nest there before. It was ok before, now its a nusance.

don't have much advice. One thing you can do, is if you can get the nest out enough to move it, move it just a little bit away from where it is now, each day move it a little more. Then move it eventually to it's final location.

Two things about this. First, If they use mud to build their nests, wouldn't it be sort of "cemented" to its location and diffficult to more? Second, don't birds abondon their young if they have a human scent on/near them?

 

[pkasbohm]

my parents had problems with birds in their garage as they never put the doors down. They put a statue of an owl in the rafters and the bird stayed out of the garage for awhile but must have figured it out because they came back.

 

[Van Helsing]

But this year I want them to find somewhere else.

They'll just keep coming ( they see it as their home to ) poor wee birds

Heres some info

If you have the right habitat, barn swallows are easy to attract. It's their nesting behavior, not their plumage or song, that catches your attention. These birds tend to nest where you'd rather not have them: on a ledge right over your front door. To avoid a mess by your door, offer the birds a nesting shelf nearby where you'd rather have them.