how to get rid of barn swallows

Poor farmer

Posted 5/27/2016 14:17 (#5323573)
Subject: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Martinton,il

How does a person keep barn swallows from making nests on the side of the house? Everywhere there is a light or window they make those mud nests and poop everywhere around it. Are they a protected bird? I need some ideas please and some info on whether it's legal to shoot them. Thanks billybob

Posted 5/27/2016 14:26 (#5323588 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Deshler, Nebr. 68340

We just keep knocking down the nest and in 3 weeks or so they will move on. Red Fox

Posted 5/27/2016 14:33 (#5323603 - in reply to #5323588)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

I would put up with them , They eat a ton of bugs each day as they fly about. They are safe at me place. JimS

Posted 5/27/2016 14:54 (#5323639 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

They are a migratory bird federally protected, so harming, harassing, molesting, killing are all illegal and any discussion here is theoretical, wink wink.

Knocking the nest down before they get going worked for someone. THey return to the same nest site as do the young. After a couple of years of nest busting there are very few around.

They are building a bridge in CA and they have to halt work every time one of these things shows. And people wonder why things cost so much.

guypatrick

Posted 5/27/2016 15:01 (#5323646 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

North central, IA

Knock the nest down and smear the area with a thin layer of clear petroleum jelly. centralillinois

Posted 5/27/2016 15:03 (#5323653 - in reply to #5323639)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Go to homedepot.com and search for bird repellent. I bought a roll of reflective tape and installed in my shed. It's less than $30 and was the best money I spent. I'll try it around the house to rid the area of nests. Works in the shed so it should work near the house. ccrnck

Posted 5/27/2016 16:30 (#5323758 - in reply to #5323646)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

ncks

paste wax seems to work pretty good on my house siding. Just rub on a good coat and the mud won't stick and they give up after a few days and move on. Poor farmer

Posted 5/27/2016 16:31 (#5323761 - in reply to #5323758)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Martinton,il

ccrnck - 5/27/2016 16:30

paste wax seems to work pretty good on my house siding. Just rub on a good coat and the mud won't stick and they give up after a few days and move on.

Good idea but it is brick. Thanks for the replies. Just deal with it I guess.

tallgrassneil

Posted 5/27/2016 16:47 (#5323779 - in reply to #5323761)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

West Texas

On the plus side, there will be fewer skeeters to infect you with West Nile and Zika and yellow fever and god knows what else. Worth putting up with the poop, IMO.

OntarioCanuck

Posted 5/27/2016 16:58 (#5323799 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

North of London

We like them around as they eat a lot of insects and exercise the dogs.

Yes they can be a nuisance when they build in the wrong place.
Best thing is to provide a ledge for them to build on where it will not bother you and then discourage them from the 'poor' locations.

It does not take much for them to build from if it is located in the right place.
6-8 inches below an overhang seems to be the preference.
A couple nails or small ledge and they are all set.

Have a couple nests in the shed and swallows have been around for some time now but no activity.
One nest suffered major damage since last summer and was thinking they had rejected that option, but we have been dry until early yesterday when we got 6mm of rain.
When i looked this morning there is a complete nest and I bet she has started laying eggs.
They must have been waiting for building material.

So now I will put an old bag under the nests when young are apparent and no machinery there and it is a quick clean up when they move out and just think all that poop was insects before processing.

There are structures along some roads in Ontario built for swallow nest sites. Put up often where road construction means an old nest site in a culvert or bridge will not be available.
I can not find info like a plan but they are just 2 posts with a small roof over them and I presume a ledge of some kind under the roof for nests.

cornerpost

Posted 5/27/2016 18:15 (#5323919 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

SE MN Still in Pothole Country

Had them under overhang by front door. Got owl at Lowes. A ceramic owl. Has worked for 10 years. mcfarm

Posted 5/27/2016 18:33 (#5323943 - in reply to #5323603)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

central Indiana

barn swallows are one of my favorite birds....whenever we cut hay we never feared a bee sting cause those swallows would be there to protect us...looked forward to the new addition to the nests ever year in the mil barn KRMN FARMN

Posted 5/27/2016 18:46 (#5323963 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Central nebr

Attach small pieces of tin foil where their trying to nest. Need to move in the wind/breeze will keep them away Poor farmer

Posted 5/27/2016 19:24 (#5324021 - in reply to #5323963)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Martinton,il

KRMN FARMN - 5/27/2016 18:46

Attach small pieces of tin foil where their trying to nest. Need to move in the wind/breeze will keep them away

Didn't use foil but I did zip tie a flag to the light fixture and they haven't made a nest yet anyway.

Blusteryknollfarm

Posted 5/27/2016 21:18 (#5324236 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

North Central Illinois

If you give them a better place to nest, they will leave the house alone. I have a lot that nest on the sides of rafters and floor joists in my 2 story barn. Never had one try to nest on the house. gene_champ

Posted 5/27/2016 21:45 (#5324296 - in reply to #5323573)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

NW Iowa

My favorite bird. I try to protect them all i can. Bruised Spud

Posted 5/28/2016 18:53 (#5325474 - in reply to #5323799)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Chaffee, Western New York

You have any pictures of these birds house things in Ontario ? OntarioCanuck

Posted 5/28/2016 20:20 (#5325653 - in reply to #5325474)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

North of London

Will see what I can find or we will snap a picture going by next time.
We see them along 401 closer to Tilbury and after we heard what they were for on the radio connected them to the major rebuild they did of the 401 east of Tilbury last year but we recently saw one near London too so maybe they will be popping up all over now. OntarioCanuck

Posted 5/28/2016 20:37 (#5325695 - in reply to #5325474)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

North of London

Found some pictures and discovered there are some structures for them that appear quite elaborate.

This site has a couple pictures and the second one down the story is smaller and like what we noticed along the highway.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/barn-swallows-habitats-highway-1.3566966

So in my searching I found the barn swallows are declining in numbers in this area as well as other areas and by this story the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources requires alternate places for the swallows to nest when work is to be done on a bridge or structure where they nested before

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/riverside-drive-wooden-houses-help-during-bridge-construction-1.3065813

don't think it takes anything very elaborate to provide them a nesting site. They used to build their nests from 1 nail in a joist in the old bank barn but I can understand how their nesting opportunities are becoming limited with so few of the old barns around any more.
I see the one couple built a nest in my shed on Thursday after our shower and you can see another added layer on top after the little shower we got today.
Bet there are eggs in it now or in the next couple days.
Will soon have to put down a bag for clean up.

Bruised Spud

Posted 5/29/2016 06:15 (#5326098 - in reply to #5325695)
Subject: RE: how to get rid of barn swallows?

Chaffee, Western New York

Thanks. During the '80's they nested in every building sometimes with nests sharing a mud side.
It appears the decline began with our use of the BT trait and in furrow insecticide. Possible just a coincidence.
We have made progress in bringing back some bluebirds and other swallows by putting up boxes, and killing starlings.
Starlings have killed whole generations of other birds on the farm. They eat the young and steal eggs in addition to out competing.