‘Tis the season for all sorts of birds to build their nests and start raising their young. Most birds build their nests in trees and aren’t much of a bother, but that isn’t always the case. Unfortunately, Lubbock is home to thousands of barn swallows that tend to build their nests on man-made structures, including overpasses, barns, and houses.
Last year, a barn swallow decided to make the entryway of my house their home. They built their little mud-nest above the front door, which wouldn’t be that bad if they didn’t leave their droppings all over the place and swoop at anyone that tried to come in or out of the house. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize the birds built their nest there until they already laid eggs, so we let them be until all the babies grew up and went on with their lives.
If you are dealing with these little birds building on your house right now, and if there aren’t any eggs yet, then I suggest knocking the nest down. If there are eggs in the nest, then the most humane thing to do is wait out this season until the birds grow up and knock the nest down after they all leave the nest. The biggest issue is that barn swallows will continue to try and build their nest in the same spot each year. So, if you had them once before, here are some things you can do to prevent them from returning.
Thankfully, there are plenty of options to deter these little birds from nesting in the same spot. Some of these preventative measures include swallow nesting shields/bird spikes or an owl scarecrow. These deterrents can be strategically placed in the areas the swallows previously built their nest, or in any area you want to prevent them from building in the first place. Another easy method is to simply knock the nest down or wash it away with a hose once you first see it being built. Of course, I don’t recommend destroying the nest if there are already eggs present.
There are other options for keeping swallows as well as other birds away from your property, but if you only want to deter these swallows that build on your home and no other types of birds, the methods listed above will be your best bet.
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