Barn Swallows building a nest under porch. Leave them?

[Doppel]

Haven't had this happen before, but a couple of birds started yesterday to build a nest under my porch over hang. I thought this will be neat, I'll film it, but now it seems like their sh*ty mess and nonsense (which is ok for a couple months) may repeat year after year and then they can be a nuisance...

 

[slag]

Fun to watch but if you have cats, it can be annoying as they will be drawn to the squeaks and chirps of the baby birds and, if they fall from the nest, it is something you will need to take care of. When they have all left, just hit the nest with a stream of water from the hose and it will break up and dissolve after awhile.

 

[lxskllr]

Swallows are great. They eat bugs, and anything that eats bugs is a friend of mine. Leave it and observe.

 

[Sluggo]

They do come back year after year, our dogs and cat are drawn to the noise. It's sad when they die falling from the nest, but sometimes they live and hop around on the patio of a week or so, thats when it's really difficult to keep the cat away.

 

[Possessed Freak]

Why am I reminded of the bird watching scene from Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation?

 

[preslove]

The Barn Swallow is a bird of open country which normally uses man-made structures to breed and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight.[4] This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by man; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the Barn Swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration.[5] The Barn Swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia.

Keep it.

 

[CPA]

They will come back year after year EVEN if you knock down their nest. Sorry, you're stuck with them. I have two nests under by back porch ceiling and two on my front. They did keep away spiders and bugs. Before they came, I had a huge issue with spiders on my back porch, now I have no issue. The poop can be sprayed away and while they don't like the cats, my cats have pretty much ignored them. Plus, it's cute to see the new hatchlings stick their head over the nest rim.

 

[zinfamous]

Swallows are great. They eat bugs, and anything that eats bugs is a friend of mine. Leave it and observe.

this.

 

[Imp]

I forget if they're the type of swallow that is endangered or not...

To stop them from nesting again, just put up a mesh fence before nesting season next year. Their nesting timeline should be available on Mr. Google.

 

[Colt45]

they eat a gazillion mosquitoes, which makes them very welcome around here.

 

[slag]

they eat a gazillion mosquitoes, which makes them very welcome around here.

So does my bug zapper and I don't have to contend with the crap on my porch

 

[TwiceOver]

End it now. You'll have to dismantle their nest a few times before they get the picture.

 

[shortylickens]

pics?

 

[Pocatello]

Eat the babies. Deep-fried baby birds are delicious, you can even eat the bones.

 

[lxskllr]

So does my bug zapper and I don't have to contend with the crap on my porch

Bug zappers attract bugs, and use electricity. They're also annoyingly loud, and lighted. I'd much rather have birds and bats. Crap on the porch? I just walk on/over it. It's not a big deal.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I had a robin nest in my hedges a few years ago. Was cool because it was at eye level so I could go in every day to check out the progress. Saw the eggs, then the baby birds, then empty. Interestingly, the egg shells were nowhere to be found. I wonder if the mother takes them somewhere else so the babies don't get cut on them. Or maybe she eats them?

If you don't want birds there again leave the nest there, birds rarely reuse a nest or build one near another one. Not guarantee though, but that's what I heard.

 

[Doppel]

I went out to do it and the little birdies were flying around the front yard with their twigs waiting for me to go. Had to get somebody else to do it. Couldn't bring myself to, poor little buggers.

 

[Wyndru]

I read this as "A Barn Swallows a Building" at first glance.

 

[Cobalt]

Eat the babies. Deep-fried baby birds are delicious, you can even eat the bones.

I ate the bones!!

 

[DrPizza]

Barn swallows are a federally protected species. Once they lay their eggs, you can be fined for disturbing their nests. Plus, they're awesome birds to have around anyway, so don't disturb their nests.

 

[UnklSnappy]

Let them be, I wish I had them at my current house.
Love watching their bug killing aerobatics. I always had 10 - 15 of them following me around swooping and diving while cutting the fairways on a golf course.

 

[ISAslot]

Swallows are great. They eat bugs, and anything that eats bugs is a friend of mine. Leave it and observe.

Yup, this is why I leave spiders be.

 

[Imp]

Barn swallows are a federally protected species. Once they lay their eggs, you can be fined for disturbing their nests. Plus, they're awesome birds to have around anyway, so don't disturb their nests.

Don't worry, it's not a problem unless the government knows... Then it's not a problem unless the right department knows.

I personally found a bunch of nests in culverts under roads pre-construction. Contractor said they "weren't there" when asked despite photo evidence. Nothing came of it.

 

[Meghan54]

Barn swallows are a federally protected species. Once they lay their eggs, you can be fined for disturbing their nests. Plus, they're awesome birds to have around anyway, so don't disturb their nests.

How true. The bug eating capacity of swallows far outweighs any inconvenience they may cause. We try to encourage birds, esp. swallows, to nest around us. Way more effective insect and pest control than any chemical solutions.

And bug zappers do not work on the majority of bugs. Sure, you'll attract moths, and moths that wouldn't normally be around your property in the first place, but mosquitoes and the like aren't even attracted by the light in the zappers. Just a waste of money in their purchase and operation....unless you like smelling and hearing moth after moth burning.

 

[disappoint]

No one asked what the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is yet? You gals are slipping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7iXw9zZrLo