How to Prevent Swallows From Building Nests on Your Eaves

When swallows migrate in spring, they immediately begin looking for textured surfaces to attach mud nests to. Keeping nests from being built on the eaves of your house involves dealing with each nest as it's constructed, or denying the birds access before they begin building. The latter is called the "exclusion" method.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Poultry Netting
• Sheet Metal
• Aluminum Foil
• Broom Or Mop Handles
• Duct Tape
• Garden Hoses And Attachments
• Aluminum Foil
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Staples
• Nail And Staple Guns
• Duct Tape

1. Purchase enough netting - with a 1/4- to 1/2-inch mesh - to stretch from the outer edge of the roof to the side of the house.

2. Gather tape, staple-gun or hooks to mount the netting.

3. Mount the netting so it extends from roof edge to wall, thereby making eaves inaccessible.

4. Try hanging a curtain of aluminum foil, plastic sheeting or sheet metal from a wire strung just above where roof overhang meets wall as another option.

5. Use a hose with long, reaching adaptors to wash nests out, or knock them down with a long-handled pole or broom. Make sure nests are just being built and don't contain eggs or young.

Tips & Warnings

• The time to begin swallow control measures is January, before birds migrate north in the United States and begin to breed.
• Once swallows have laid eggs or have young in a nest, it is against federal law to destroy or disturb the nest in any way.
• Shooting or otherwise harming swallows is against federal law.

[jaime9794]

on 5/2/2009 The reason alot of us cannot enjoy these birds is that they overrun our homes! Try living on a farm. They build their nests EVERYWHERE and you walk by and they dive at you! Plus who needs bird feces everywhere? I have 3 small children and don't need them to have all of their things covered in bird feces!

[Fivepines]

on 9/21/2007 Eaves are not our problem. Our house is brick and the swallows build their nest on the brick. We do like the swallows but are now being over run with them. We have around 300 that sleep on the verandah they are here all year round. What is a nice way of asking them to move?

on 6/30/2006 Once swallows have started to build their nests, it is against the law to tear them down. It's also against the law to remove eggs, chicks, or harm the nest in any way. To do so will result in a heavy fine or a prison sentence. Why don't people enjoy these beautiful birds for what they are? We must not forget the thousands of miles these birds fly every year. They are protected by law. Too many people are worried about cleaning the bird poo off the side of the house, so they don't want them. Why not go out with the power washer after they have gone to clean the wall? Problem solved. But keep the nest up, for the swallows may well return nest year. And if they do, feel privileged!