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Category: Nature | Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:56 pm

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As y'all know, we love birds, bugs, snakes, mammals, and all critters. However, there are a few that try our patience.
Barn swallows! Why on this good green earth do they insist on building their nests over doorways, on ledges over the patio, and on the carport? Can they not understand they are to build nests in barns?
They are NOT tidy birds! Their nests are made of mud and some other unmentionable stuff, which drops on any surface below it (like a new car). Airplane chassis could be held together with barn swallow nest ingredients.
They also have absolutely no plumbing problems (as evident on aforementioned car). A doormat that says "Welcome" isn't all that welcoming with a pile of white deposits on it. "Oh, just step over it, the barn swallows have a nest above the door. Would you like an umbrella?" Sure cuts down on visitors.
We have inside-out circles of duct tape on the patio and carport lights; our front door is festooned with Christmas tree tinsel (I read this repels birds, but I suspect the barn swallows think it's the latest in home decor). My husband goes out at 11 pm in his underwear to squirt the little birdies with cold water (we keep a spray bottle in the refrigerator for that purpose and pray we don't have to explain to any guest rooting around in the fridge).
We have a barn, a welcoming, clean barn with lovely rafters just perfect for a barn swallow's nest. They ignore it. Can't lure them into the barn. My husband is threatening to get a butterfly net, swoop up a swallow, and tie it to a barn rafter until it gets the idea this is it, no other choices. I just hope he isn't in his underwear when he does it.
Barn swallows are pretty little things, though . . . .


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dooley wrote on Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:26 pm:

Correct me if I'm wrong but do not the Chinese make Bird's Nest Soup out of swallow's nests. You could start harvesting the nests for soup. Mind you, I've never tried it and it doesn't sound too appetizing but YOU could try it and let us know how it tastes. Maybe you could look it up and print the recipe. Then, you could send every one a bird's nest so they could all try it. I'll pass, thanks! dooley

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toni wrote on Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:13 pm:

Bird's nest soup is made for the nests of Cave Swifts.
They look a lot alike but are not in the same family.
The special taste of the bird's nest soup comes from the saliva the Swift uses to hold the nest together ....I'll pass too.

They don't like areas of densely growing trees or deserts....of those two choices I would start planting trees.

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Frank wrote on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:53 am:

In Malaysia (one of the Chinese areas) I've seen them build special places to entice swallows. This allows them to collect their nest saliva (worth a pretty penny). They play an audio recording of the swallow sounds. It sure fooled me and it seems to fool the swallows also.

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Jerry Sullivan wrote on Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:09 pm:

I will preface my statement with I do not have a background in Ornithology. However, engineering a solution to a problem is different story. In order to come up with a plausible solution it is necessary to ask a bunch of questions, have you provide some relevant background about the Barn Swallow's habitat. O.K.?

Jerry

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carolyn keiper wrote on Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:34 pm:

You could always try nailing a rubber snake above the door. They seem to help deter the birds, from where I don't want them, here. But that bird nest soup.... UGH! it just doesn't seem all that appealing when there are so many real foods to chose from.

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