UPDATE (2021)
This year, I tried something new to prevent swallows from nesting on my porch. I decided to put a scent on the walls where the swallows normally build their nests that may be unpleasant to them. I wanted to use something that would have a strong odor, and as I thought about it, I decided Pine-Sol cleaner has a very strong odor. I also thought about trying ammonia.
I used a spray bottle to spray Pine-Sol on the wall in the areas where the swallows have built nests in the past. I sprayed this every three or four days for a couple of weeks to ensure that the odor remained on the wall.
RESULT:
We did not have a single swallow build a nest on our porch for the first time in seven years. The weather was rather odd this year, so that could have been a factor, but I am hoping that the reason they did not build was because of the scent that I put on the wall.
I would ask the readers of this post to help me with my experiment by either spraying Pine-Sol, ammonia, or something else with a very strong, unpleasant odor and see if that indeed prevents swallows from building their nest on your home.
I’M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP! I would really appreciate it if you would comment on this post or email me with the results. If several people will help out with this experiment, we should be able to get some good results that will either verify that this does or does not work
Preventing Swallows from Nesting
Well, it’s that time of year. The birds are returning from wintering in the south, and they’re preparing their nests. Unfortunately, some birds, including swallows, love to build their mud nests under the shelter of our porches. Now, I love birds as much as most of you. I enjoy watching them and hearing them sing. I just don’t like them pooping all over my porch and outdoor furniture. So I wanted to find a way to prevent them from nesting on my porch.
In an effort to prevent this mess last year, I knocked their nest down each time they built it. I thought this would discourage them and cause them to move on. But they are determined little birds. Suddenly, almost overnight, I realized that not only was there a nest, but that momma bird had laid eggs. I was not about to knock down that nest, so I left them alone and put up with the mess for a few months until they moved on.
I was determined that this year would be different. Earlier this week, I noticed the swallows swooping down in the back yard, and finally onto our back porch. I quickly did some research and found a solution that seems to be working (my back porch has been nest free for two days so far.) The solution is simple. I cut some strips of aluminum foil about a foot and a half long and an inch wide and attached them along the upper perimeter of the porch – spaced about every two feet. Apparently, the moving light reflecting off of the strips scares the birds and will keep them away. If you’re having the same problem, give this a try and let me know how it works for you. Hopefully it will prevent swallows from nesting on your porch too! Until next time…
© 2022 Mike Morgan
This article was written by Mike Morgan, the owner of Morgan Inspection Services. Morgan Inspection Services has been providing home, septic and well inspection services throughout the central Texas area since 2002. He can be reached at 325-998-4663 or at mike@morganinspectionservices.com. No article, or portion thereof, may be reproduced or copied without prior written consent of Mike Morgan.
