swallows building in roof...

S

skerford

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hi,

I noticed over the past few days swallows building above my bedroom window in the eave of the roof. I have had previous experience of this and wasn't too happy about the noise of the young after they hatched at 6 in the morning, also then there is the issue of the droppings all over the front of the house where the nest is.

I more than likely will break the nest this evening because they haven't completed it , i'm just wondering if i do what will happen the birds will they move on or attempt again to build there.

There is a difference of opinion in the household about what to do but I think it best if I broke it.
I'm just wondering what other peoples thoughts are on this.
 
If you break it up before they complete it they'll move on and find another place to build.

You may have to do this a few times as they are persistent.

If they have already taken up residence. Leave them there. Destroy afterwards and do the above next year.
 
I have 3/4 families of sparrows under my eaves every yr. It's like a block of sparrow apartments. There is no dirt from them, and ok they can be noisy, but I'm so used to it, I don't notice it. Swallows will keep down insects in the garden as they are voracious feeders. And they are probably the best fliers in the bird world. If it were me, I would welcome the new residents, they will reward you with aerial displays like you've never seen.
 
I've been convinced to let them stay, although i don't agree with the decision the other side of the family won...
I just hope the swallows will be nice to me in return :)
 
Sue Ellen said:
Well, you know what they say, that their .... does bring good luck if it lands on your head ;)
Click to expand...

Lol.:) never heard that!

Delighted you changed your mind skerford. I love watching these little fighter pilot's of the bird world. I remember reading that American military aircraft developers had extensively studied the swift's "design" in developing fighter aircraft.
 
You need to break the nest now before they finish it and then fill any gaps in the eaves with foam insulation
 
Well, everybody else seems to be doing it on top of us - so why not the swallows!!
 
Delighted that the rest of the family won.
Firstly they are only temporary vistors and you should be happy they choose your home after their long trek from Africa. Secondly, They do a great job at keeping down insects. Thirdly, they are beautiful to watch. Fourthly, whats a bit of chirping can be beautiful as long as you don't become obsessed.
You may find that they are very resiliant and will rebuild. Given that they will use their buildings it probably gives them one up on us with our ghost estates and property bubbles:)
 
you can put up some plasic streamers to prevent them from building there.. eg.cut up a plastic bag into strips (not cutting all the ways so that you can attach at one point) and hang it where you wantt o prevent the birds from nesting.
 
I really look forward to seeing the swallows coming back each year and they nest in our out house. To think the journey these birds have come I think is quite unbelieavable in itself for the size of them and I would hate to think anybody would destroy any of their nests at building stage even. So skerford your doing the right thing by letting them stay, well done! The amount of effort to build a nest must be a pretty major job for them. We humans could'nt do it. Each night I go into the out house and the 2 birds are either perched on the nest together or nearby each other. Seemingly the same swallows keep coming back to the same place each year which again is amazing.
I have little birds nesting in the ivy over a window in the front of our house and they keep pooing down on the sill. Its not a major job cleaning it and the satisfaction I get from watching all these little birds outweighs any of their bad points.
 
Are these birds that you are talking about swallows or house martins?

Long tail - swallow; short tail - house martin.

There are lots of house martins where I live. I don't encourage them. I'm a typical NIMBY when it comes to house martins. I love seeing them flying around at a speedy Gonzales frenzy - to my neighbours to nest. :)

What I have noticed is that they mark the walls with mud so that they will see or perhaps that others will see a potential place to build a nest. They also use a really strong substance - almost glue-like on the wall and which is really difficult to remove. They would not be building on this spot so perhaps they use this to attract others?

Marion
 
They have long tails and they have red colouring around the face. I keep referring to them as swallows maybe they are house martins. Listening to an item on the Mooney show recently which said they can actually visualise places all along the route which takes them back to the same place each year. One guy who had ringed some of them had some of the same birds coming back for a no of years to his place.
 
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