Nesting Barn Swallows(birds)

Started by AlexM1 • 18 replies • 3273 views

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AlexM1 (Oklahoma)
Posts: 287

Posted:

Has anyone had any experience(s) with barn swallows nesting on the ceilings
of condo units in condo complexes? One person has asked that the Board knock it
down. I was under the knowledge that barn swallows are a protected species and that
knocking down their nests was outlawed. There is a posssibility, of course, that
there are babies on the inside of the mud nest.

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

Alec this is from a site that sells things to prevent the swallows from building nests, so take it with a grain of salt:

Swallows and their nests are fully protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which makes it illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take any migratory bird. It is illegal to intentionally damage or destroy the nest, eggs, or young of a swallow while it is being built or in use. The Act allows fines or prison sentences for every bird, egg or nest destroyed.

I suggest you contact a local animal removal company, they will know if the nest can safely and legally be removed.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

OK, I just reread your post. Is the nest actually inside a unit?

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

AlexM1 (Oklahoma)
Posts: 287

Posted:

Regular condo units have either a balcony(if on the upper level) or a patio(on the lower unit)....the patio/balcony is NOT INSIDE of the unit but the patio/balcony leads to the inside of the unit by using a door between t he patio or balcony so the swallows(which, by the way, is one of my favorite birds)builds their decorative mud nests in the ceiling corner of that balcony or patio.

JeffT2 (Iowa)
Posts: 880

Posted:

Before the season starts, you can put up bird netting. The birds seem to find little flat areas to build their nests, so some of our residents put wood in those areas to block the birds from getting a starting place.

FredS7 (Arizona)
Posts: 927

Posted:

I assume the balcony is a limited common element that the association is obliged to maintain.

Maintenance would be painting but not cleaning. I think this is more akin to "cleaning" and is not the association's responsibility.

I had a hummingbird nest under my alcove and I considered it my responsibility.

PaulT6 (California)
Posts: 409

Posted:

Pellet gun

Paul T

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By PaulT6 on 05/10/2013 9:27 AM
Pellet gun

And a criminal defense attorney admitted to practice law in the federal courts.

Leave the birds alone until they finish using the nest and then remove it.

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By PaulT6 on 05/10/2013 9:27 AM
Pellet gun

Paul T

Paul I'm shocked, absolutely shocked by your suggestion. Of course if the H/O were to erect a scaffold in order to paint the rest of the ceiling and a cat would accidentally happen to climb up near the nest, that's just the circle of life.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

FredS7 (Arizona)
Posts: 927

Posted:

A California resident with a less than bright idea involving a gun...and a sensible Arizona resident. Seems backwards somehow.

AlexM1 (Oklahoma)
Posts: 287

Posted:

Too late... the owner of the unit knocked down part of the nest and two little birds fell to the chair below and two more were still in the nest.... I got there just in time..... scolded the owner and contactesd a local wildlife rehabilitation place... and took the four little barn swallows to them and they were happy(probably the little birds also) and said they could be saved by their organization. The barn swallos IS A protected species and that owner had NO RIGHT to knock down their nest.

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

There is a scientific analysis of unladen swallows at http://style.org/unladenswallow/

According to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, coconuts could have made their way to medieval England by by two swallows carrying the fruit hung from a stick between their dorsal guiding feathers although there is some debate as to whether this could have been done by European swallows or by African swallows.

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AlexM1 on 05/10/2013 1:25 PM
Too late... the owner of the unit knocked down part of the nest and two little birds fell to the chair below and two more were still in the nest.... I got there just in time..... scolded the owner and contactesd a local wildlife rehabilitation place... and took the four little barn swallows to them and they were happy(probably the little birds also) and said they could be saved by their organization. The barn swallos IS A protected species and that owner had NO RIGHT to knock down their nest.

Alex,

Thank you for doing the right thing.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Talk about a dichotomy.

I hate Canada Geese. They are foul fowl. One golf club I belonged to had a trained dog to chase them from pond to pond and hopefully they would leave. I was all for that.

One day I noticed the dog was chasing two geese but there were 6 or so new hatchling geese with them. The parents I assumed. I told the "controller" of the dog to stop the dog. Controller said the dog is doing its job. I said yes but not to defenseless new hatchlings that cannot leave. He started to argue. I said your choice. 5 iron upside your head, upside the dogs head, or you get your and the dog's asses out of here. He called the dog in and they left.

I was called on the "carpet" by the club BOD (member owned club), but not an issue. I had tears in their eyes about the baby geese.....LOL

JohnB26 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,569

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By PaulT6 on 05/10/2013 9:27 AM
Pellet gun

Paul T

nope ..... .22LR 'barn shot' bullets (tiny tiny little pellets specifically designed merely to 'sting' the bird nesting in the barn's rafters w/o damage) ~ basically a 22 caliber 'rock salt' loaded shot-gun shell

PaulT6 (California)
Posts: 409

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnB26 on 05/16/2013 8:15 AM

Posted By PaulT6 on 05/10/2013 9:27 AM
Pellet gun

Paul T

All,

Oh my, it appears my attempt at a little humor was taken seriously by some. 3 fish in the box :-)

Paul T

RaihanK1 (Arkansas)
Posts: 12

Posted:

Before the start of the season, you can set up bird netting. The birds seem to find some flat areas to build their nests, so that some of our residents in these areas adds wood to block the birds to get a starting spot.

AlexM1 (Oklahoma)
Posts: 287

Posted:

Glenn: It is in the patio....on the ceiling of this particular condo unit. I was trying to find an organization WITH a telephone number that I could call but so far, to o avail.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AlexM1 on 06/03/2015 5:11 PM
I was trying to find an organization WITH a telephone number that I could call but so far, to o avail.

See links on other thread:

Subject: Barn swallow nests

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