Keeping Swallows Away!

Baffled

How do I keep the swallows from nesting just under the edge of the roof of my house? Wouldnt mind them if they did not s**t all over the place. It looks terrible.

stag39

Hi baffled... you should feel privilaged to have the swalllows nest at your house....did you know that every year the same swallows return to the same place to nest !!!! and that they getting fewer and fewer each year!!

Baffled

I know and I feel so guilty. The nests at the back of the house can stay but the ones at the front will have to go. The walls are destroyed and the ground is covered in droppings. It stains so bad that it wont even wash off. All of the flowers and shrubs in our flower beds are dead.

stag39

Maybe if you ask them nicely they might oblige... lol !!!

Perhaps when they depart you can take the nests at the front down..and when they return they might setup in the rear!! though they might like the front view..lol

Baffled

lol - Yea the front view is much better. I dont know how to keep them away though!

stag39

try some netting to scare them next year... i will ask my aunt as she has them also and i think she sorted something out....

Baffled

OK Thanks.

dathi1

...bad luck to remove swallows nests

pmac

The best way to stop Swallows nesting in the same spot a second year is to attach 4 or 5 baloons on a length of string to the place they nested last year. they do not like the way the baloons bob about in the wind and will nest somewhere else.

madonnar

The swallows nest in my barn every year but as so many folks have said their droppings are disgusting, but its all worth it just to see them congregate on the electric wires and sing their little hearts out. I always feel sad when they are ready to take off and wonder how many will make it back next year and hope that I will be there to see them again

husky199911

Will putting up a mirror or some reflective object such as a CD in the apex of my roof stop swallows from building?
I hear when the see their reflection the think it's another bird and go somewhere else.
Any info welcome.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It could possibly work but I don't see why you would try to prevent them. It's no big deal to hose the wall or ground each week if need be.

Why not cut down all the hegdes and bushes in the area to stop other birds as they can dirty clothes on the line or poop on the parked car???:mad:

husky199911

It's only in the very apex of my house as it is so high and it's only recently painted and it's distroyed already.
I cant even reach it with a ladder and hose so I have to try something.

husky199911

Yes last year and i'm not rich and I cant afford to get it painted again.
I just need some way to stop them building.

jmkennedyie

Someone I know had the same question so I've been keeping an eye out for this topic for a few years. A couple of points:

- If these are mud nests at the apex under the eaves against the wall then they are actually House Martins, not swallows. Navy birds but with a white patch at the back of the tail/rump.
- I have not come across any successful technique for encouraging them not to build their nest.
- they need mud to build their nest, so if there is a muddy construction site near by the nesting may disappear when the construction disappears.
- the best approach I've heard to solve the mess that people complain about is to install a board coming out from the wall a foot or two below where they nest...it would catch much of the poop and keep the wall/ground clear.
- Personally I too would see it as a privilege/feature...I'd pay more for a wildlife friendly house like that!

Connacht

Why would anybody want to remove house martins, or any other wildlife ?
Who gives a sh*t about a bit of sh*t on your gable end ?
I have had house martins for ten years. They're fabulous to watch. I'd come home from work, go around the side of the house and just admire them coming to and fro, especially at dusk, feeding their babies and so on. They're wonderful.
Then about four years ago, I noticed that, mid season, there was no activity. Having not looked at the nest for a while, I went around and checked, only to see that an adult had died by catching his beak in the metal eaves of the house. The bird's beak was literally jammed into the metal and he was hanging there dead.
After removing the dead bird, we had no house martins for the following two seasons. But I never removed the nest. Last year, they returned to our nest for the first time since and took up residence again. Brilliant. Sh*t and all !

myjugsarehuge

Connacht wrote: »

Why would anybody want to remove house martins, or any other wildlife ?
Who gives a sh*t about a bit of sh*t on your gable end ?

Exactly, I can't wait for the swallows and house martins to come back, I really do seem to be happier once the swallows are here, usually its the 5 or 6 April up by us. I look out for them every day and when I see the first one I know summer won't be long.

House martins nest every year but often the nests fall off, I think they use mud out of our chicken/duck pen and it must the be wrong sort of mud because it dries out and the nests fall off. Last year I found the nest and 4 eggs smashed on the patio with the adults calling overhead. Very sad.

We had swallows nest inside our garage the year before last, on top of the roller door of all places so we left the garage open until they had fledged.

Morganna

i get so excited when the swallows return each year ,yes i know they make a mess but we are privileged to share our lives with them .They nest in my barn every year and i love waiting for the babies to hatch out .

Tabnabs

Netting or chicken wire will most likely keep them away, it's not like they'll arrive, see the netting and bugger off back to Africa...

*shock horror* how did they ever survive before people built houses?! */shock horror*

DisboardsSuck

Dyflin wrote: »

Jeez, some real moaners in here :rolleyes:

Netting or chicken wire will most likely keep them away, it's not like they'll arrive, see the netting and bugger off back to Africa...

*shock horror* how did they ever survive before people built houses?! */shock horror*

No need to be chidish - really! :rolleyes:


I am looking to get rid of them, too. I do not find it a priviledge to have swallows swooping down at my daughter in her trampoline and trying to hit her while she is outside with her dog. I do not find it a priviledge that they are trying to attack my two Pomeranians every single time they go in THEIR back yard to potty.

I take a broom out with them and when the birds fly at my animals and kid, I "fly" at them. :mad:

They have nested and because I am not cruel, I will leave them there until their babies are hatched - but then I will put up chicken wire so that they cannot nest again.

DisboardsSuck

Connacht wrote: »

Why would anybody want to remove house martins, or any other wildlife ?

For the same reason I stated above, I don't want them attacking my dogs and especially not my children. When the birds can accept that it is not their house and they stop pecking at my dogs, then they can stay. :rolleyes: Since they will never learn that, they have to go.

Superdaddy

I have never heard of anything so ridiculous in all my life, house martins attacking children and dogs:eek::rolleyes:. This does not happen!!!! Some species of gulls and terns will actually strike a person but not a swallow or house martin. When they are flying low over your garden they are actually catching insects, probably midges that will bite you child and dogs:cool:. I can guarantee you a house martin will never make contact with your child on the trampoline, they are some of the best fliers in the animal kingdom, if they wanted to hit your child they would never miss. They are totally harmless unless you are an insect of course:)

Mothman

I'm getting concerned as "my" swallows have not returned yet. I'm seeing plenty but these are from neighbours. Still time but I'll be bitterly disappointed if they don't arrive. Also with new sheds, I've heaps of nesting sites for them now. For the nest under my apex, I placed a board underneath to catch the sh1t. Works a treat.

House Martins attempted nesting last year on farm. First time in 35 years! They happened to choose right over the front door of new build that wasn't finished. A stick was leant against potential nesting site and that stopped them building.They then bulit on my mother's house, but similar to previous post, the nest fell, eggs and all.

Sundew

Methinks you have been watching too much Alfred hitchcock :p:p
We have always kept pomeranians and I can tell you something they are one little dog that can look after themselves. T

Did you not learn in Parenting school that children should not be wrapped up in cotton wool and protected from birds! Actually they are more likely to be attacked by bleedin excited Pom

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

What absolute nonsense:P. You are obviouly taking the Michael! No such attacks happen. Swallows and House Martins swoop around after flies but they most certainly do not attack any animals, let alone humans. I never read such rubbish in my 50 years dealing with wildlife. They do not peck at dogs! Are you talking about the right kind of birds at all. Are you really seeing them peck the dogs and the children or do they just fly around them? Are you telling the facts at all?
My kids loved when the swallows would fly through the gargage when they were inside. It's always a thrill!

Edit: It's just dawned on me. You only posted here twice and are a new throll!

stevoman

advice only here folks, the OP has a genuine question and has no cruel intentions.

IrishHomer

DisboardsSuck wrote: »

For the same reason I stated above, I don't want them attacking my dogs and especially not my children. When the birds can accept that it is not their house and they stop pecking at my dogs, then they can stay. :rolleyes: Since they will never learn that, they have to go.

Its a strange world ok

Judgement Day

stevoman wrote: »

advice only here folks, the OP has a genuine question and has no cruel intentions.

I would have thought with a name like this DisboardsSuck OP is a definite Troll?

stevoman

agreed with all nature lovers! disboardssuck - 1 month ban.

back on topic though, i have heard that a mirror put up during the winter will deter the swallows from nesting next year, but OP would you not consider yourself quite lucky to have swallows nesting on your gable end. Its nothing a quick wash down with a hose wouldnt fix and watching them is a marvel to think how far they come just to nest.

Sundew

Stevo : I really didn't think it was necessary to edit my post. I'm actually a mod myself and a regular on other boards and hardly think my post needed editing. Did it

ivabiggon

i have the little feckers and can't stand them, i've smashed two nest already, and i'm gonna get a loan of my friends shotgun and make sure they don't come back next year.