Birds nesting in my attic

[Rallispec]

We've got a family of starlings nesting in our attic, they seem to have found a hole in the siding directly under the gutter.... Didnt notice them until the babies hatched and started making a lot of noise.

Can't hear them from inside (fortunatly the insulation in the attic kills the noise)


So do I pull the nest out of the attic and cover the hole - which will probably end up with a bunch of dead baby birds... or do I wait a few weeks for them to leave and then clean up the nest and cover the hole.

I'm not even sure how i'll remove the nest -- it's tucked way back in a corner that is going to be really hard to get to.

 

[DeadByDawn]

I'd just toss the nest since they are starlings, and plug the hole.

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
I'd just toss the nest since they are starlings, and plug the hole.

Yep.

 

[Rallispec]

I'm not even sure i'd know what to do with the nest... just toss it in the woods maybe?

 

[edro]

I say douse the nest with gasoline.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
I'm not even sure i'd know what to do with the nest... just toss it in the woods maybe?

I guess. Seems kind of mean, but I'm sure something will "make use" of them before they have chance to starve.
Leave them in the attic and you'll have a load of bird crap up there by the time they leave.

Other option is to nestle it in a tree somewhere. Make sure the mother/father can see what you're doing. Hopefully they'll get the idea and stay with their babies. It'll especially help if the babies are able to make a bit of noise during the relocation.
I don't know how defensive starlings are though. Be ready to swat away attacking parents.

With the parents away, THEN plug up the hole.

 

[Oceandevi]

Starlings nest in holes, so do not bother with moving it to a tree.

You could put them in a nest box.. but thats a little work. Fix the hole before you get wasps and rodents also.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Some finches made a nest in the walkway leading up to my front door. Man, what a poor choice in nesting location. Every time someone walks by they scatter and try their damndest to scare away the perceived intruder by flying really close to them and chattering. I really should knock the nest down, but I don't have the heart to do it.

 

[DeadByDawn]

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
Some finches made a nest in the walkway leading up to my front door. Man, what a poor choice in nesting location. Every time someone walks by they scatter and try their damndest to scare away the perceived intruder by flying really close to them and chattering. I really should knock the nest down, but I don't have the heart to do it.

Some birds in my driveway have that beat. They decided to nest in the spare tire of my truck which is held under the bed. Anyways, the truck only gets driven on the weekends. So when it leaves the birds have to hang out in a tree by my driveway till their nest gets back.

LOL

 

[ManyBeers]

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
Some finches made a nest in the walkway leading up to my front door. Man, what a poor choice in nesting location. Every time someone walks by they scatter and try their damndest to scare away the perceived intruder by flying really close to them and chattering. I really should knock the nest down, but I don't have the heart to do it.

Some birds in my driveway have that beat. They decided to nest in the spare tire of my truck which is held under the bed. Anyways, the truck only gets driven on the weekends. So when it leaves the birds have to hang out in a tree by my driveway till their nest gets back.

LOL

No kidding! That is funny.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
We've got a family of starlings nesting in our attic, they seem to have found a hole in the siding directly under the gutter.... Didnt notice them until the babies hatched and started making a lot of noise.

Can't hear them from inside (fortunatly the insulation in the attic kills the noise)


So do I pull the nest out of the attic and cover the hole - which will probably end up with a bunch of dead baby birds... or do I wait a few weeks for them to leave and then clean up the nest and cover the hole.

I'm not even sure how i'll remove the nest -- it's tucked way back in a corner that is going to be really hard to get to.

wait until the babies are out of the nest. what's it gonna hurt?

oh and fyi, along with seeds and fruits, starlings eat insects, especially white grubs in lawns.

 

[TheGizmo]

Originally posted by: ManyBeers

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
Some finches made a nest in the walkway leading up to my front door. Man, what a poor choice in nesting location. Every time someone walks by they scatter and try their damndest to scare away the perceived intruder by flying really close to them and chattering. I really should knock the nest down, but I don't have the heart to do it.

Some birds in my driveway have that beat. They decided to nest in the spare tire of my truck which is held under the bed. Anyways, the truck only gets driven on the weekends. So when it leaves the birds have to hang out in a tree by my driveway till their nest gets back.

LOL

No kidding! That is funny.

haha im surprised they dont just build another nest

 

[jadinolf]

Be a nice guy. Wait till the young'uns leave and then block the entry hole(s).

 

[Accipiter22]

well, if you put the nest somewhere else, the babies WILL die. I say wait till they fledge, then toss the nest

 

[TheGizmo]

Originally posted by: jadinolf
Be a nice guy. Wait till the young'uns leave and then block the entry hole(s).

you know what happens to the nice guy though? he does that then in the meantime a bunch of rats get in somehow and the all his walls are full of rats for the next year making a huge problem

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: TheGizmo

Originally posted by: jadinolf
Be a nice guy. Wait till the young'uns leave and then block the entry hole(s).

you know what happens to the nice guy though? he does that then in the meantime a bunch of rats get in somehow and the all his walls are full of rats for the next year making a huge problem

I know. This is a lesson for others. Search your attic for rat access holes and block them. I didn't and a couple of years ago virtually all of my mementos ( pictures, clothes, scrapbooks,etc ) were devoured by the $%#@*&^$$@ rats.

 

[gwrober]

Originally posted by: jadinolf

Originally posted by: TheGizmo

Originally posted by: jadinolf
Be a nice guy. Wait till the young'uns leave and then block the entry hole(s).

you know what happens to the nice guy though? he does that then in the meantime a bunch of rats get in somehow and the all his walls are full of rats for the next year making a huge problem

I know. This is a lesson for others. Search your attic for rat access holes and block them. I didn't and a couple of years ago virtually all of my mementos ( pictures, clothes, scrapbooks,etc ) were devoured by the $%#@*&^$$@ rats.

I had rats chew the wheels off of my luggage. In the attic. Nothing else, just the freekin' wheels. Little piles of plastic next to the suitcases, right below where the wheels should be.

 

[daveshel]

Birds is a plural. It doesn't get an apostrophe.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: daveshel
Birds is a plural. It doesn't get an apostrophe.

heh... fixed.



anyhow - i hadnt thought about rats... although I have no idea how they would get into my attic...

I'll see if I can borrow a ladder this weekend to get up there and close the hole off... I'm not sure what the wife will say about me sending a nest of chicks off to thier death.... (if she weren't around I'd seriously consider letting our cats play with them... but who knows what kinds of bugs and diseases they might have)

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: daveshel
Birds is a plural. It doesn't get an apostrophe.

Nah, it's fine. "Bird is nesting in my attic."
It still works.

 

[thegimp03]

Aerosol can and a lighter for the win.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: thegimp03
Aerosol can and a lighter for the win.

except for that whole "in the attic" thing... :Q