How to discourage birds

[allanb]

I have an old barn which I use as a garage.  Recently, on the floor and on any car that happens to be there, I've seen evidence of nest-building in the roof; at least, that's what I think it is - twigs, moss, etc, plus droppings.  I don't mind a bit of a mess, but the droppings have a corrosive effect on paint.

I haven't seen or heard any birds at work up there, although they fly in and out occasionally when the door's open.  Unfortunately the centre of the roof, where it seems to be coming from, is very high; well out of reach with anything short of scaffolding.

Does anyone know a way of persuading the birds (if that's what they are) to go away?  Smoke, maybe?  

[cassis]

Unless you can block every gap in the barn it may be easier to use a car cover.  Pigeons are the worst - I fought off pigeons nesting in a 200m² barn for a year, blocking gaps around the eaves, before I finally got rid of them.

The other birds seem to nest around the outside, which is fine.

And the odd wren doesn't make a lot of mess.

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i26/cassiscassis/wildlife/wren_04.jpg[/IMG]

A neighbour has swallows each year but just moves everything out for the duration.

[Debnfamily]

We had swallows every year too but didn't have anywhere to move everything out to, so we waited until they had left one year then removed all of their nests and blocked all holes in the barn walls and doors with half inch wire netting.  Now we have a bird netting curtain over the main doorway we use as we prefer to keep that door open to the gardn during the day but don't want the birds dive bombing us - seems to work so far.

[Jo]

Are you sure it's birds? Might it be bats?[8-)]

[cassis]

Birds

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Spice_Girls_%286_janv%29_56.jpg/800px-Spice_Girls_%286_janv%29_56.jpg[/img]

Bats

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Cricket_bat.jpg[/img]

[baypond]

It is a shame that we constantly destroy habitat by repairing/converting barns without providing alternative environments for them to nest in. I will have to repair the facades on a gite where the stonework is getting to the stage where it needs to be fixed. However, there is a group of house sparrows that nest in the walls each year and I am loathe to destroy their nesting locations (look what has happened in the UK). I think I will leave open the main nesting holes and 'crepis' the rest.

Rather than getting rid of you birds, why not consider putting up a tarpaulin or corregated plastic cover where you park the cars? That way your cars are free of muck and the birds can still nest...

[allanb]

Thank you for the ideas.  I hadn't thought about the possibility of bats, although I suppose it wouldn't really change the problem.  I had thought about a car cover, but I spent so much time clearing out the barn last year just so that I wouldn't have to leave the car outside and put a cover on it...

The tarpaulin is a good idea.  I'll work on it.

Cassis: thanks for the illustrations.  I will use them as working drawings.  Well, one of them, anyway.

[Debnfamily]

[quote user="baypond"]Rather than getting rid of you birds, why not consider putting up a tarpaulin or corregated plastic cover where you park the cars? That way your cars are free of muck and the birds can still nest...[/quote]We have both birds and bats and we've left the first floor of the barn as it was (ie no netting or grillage) so they can all stay up there.

[chris pp]

Just watching.[;-)]

Chris

[Debnfamily]

    ooer....

[chris pp]

Some forum have a method to "subscribe to this topic" which means you receive an e-mail notification when a new post has been made, this one doesn't, therefore you need to make a token post to get notifications, that's all.[;-)]

Chris

[Clair]

Chris, if you go to the bottom of this page and click on Options, you'll find a way to subscribe.

This option is available for each forum section.

[Jo]

Chris, any idea when the Planetepassion website will be up and running again?

[chris pp]

It's a long story and one that I'm not to pleased with, (understatement).... but..

the new site is now http://www.planetepassion.eu (should be the link under my posts). I've spent a large part of the last 6 weeks doing it, still not complete but getting there.

Please let me know if it's working OK for you.[:)]

If you know anyone that has links to it, please ask them to change them to .eu  and not  .com

Cheers, Chris

[Jo]

Just so you know Chris, when I click on the link UNDER your posts it comes up offline, but when I click on the link IN your last post it takes me to the website[8-)]

[chris pp]

Thanks, it should work now.

Chris

[Jo]

It does[:D]

[odile]

I am surprised Chris didn't explain the legal position, as the LPO is the organisation ot contact in cases of breach of the law.

It is strictly illegal to destroy swallows nests in France - with 9000E and 6 months imprisonment penalty for breaking the law.

(Decret du 10 juillet 76 + modification du 17 avril 81 - see LPO website)

So a tarp would be a lot cheaper!

It is estimated that a loss of around 40% has taken place during past decade - the destruction of nests and habitat (+pesticides) being the major causes.

[chris pp]

Well, a little correction, as a local representative for the LPO I can tell you that it isn't the organisation to contact, it should be the Gendarmes, (big joke), or primarily the ONCFS except that they have been outsourced in many parts of France to a "Garde Chasse" or to the Gendarmes.

So, yes it is illegal to destroy any birds nests or to deliberately disturb them during the nesting season but in practice it is not the most constructive route to take unless this is a serial situation where someone is going round the countryside deliberately knocking of nests left, right and center. It would be far better to explain about the scale of the population declines, the causes and the simple things that people can do to make space for birds in a manner that won't impact negatively on their lives or property.

Chris

[krusty]

How to discourage birds...............easy , wear a wedding ring [:D]

[Jo]

Depends........has been known to encourage a certain species [:$][:$][;-)]

[odile]

LOL Jo! I know a few of those beasties!

Chris I am surprised. All the web sites I looked at advise asking their local LPO for support in prosecuting and state that the LPO plays a big role in preventing destruction and adherence to the Law. Your message seems to say it is not too bad to destroy nests as long has you don't do it repeatedly all over the place. Are you really saying this?

[chris pp]

No, I'm not saying that it is alright, I'm saying that where an individual is concerned that messes up a nest in their house it is better to try to explain the plight that these birds are in, how much their population numbers have declined and the reasons for it and how easy it is to live together with a bit of ingenuity and thought. The law is a very blunt instrument and only causes resentment in such cases and no one wins.

What the law does is provide a basis for prosecuting people that know what they are doing and do it with intent, it also sets a standard that the majority abide by.

This is something on Planete Passion that I hope is useful.

http://www.planetepassion.eu/Media/BirdsandBuildings.pdf

Chris

[odile]

Thanks for reassuring me Chris. Not easy I know - but the decline is huge and people need to know the facts and the legal aspects too.

Too easy surely to say 'oops I didn't know, sorry'. If we ever decide to convert the barn, we will provide plenty of protected artificial nests under the eaves (with removal planks underneath to catch the mess and clear every autumn) and start the work as soon as the birds have left - (but before the snow!)  It should be possible in most cases to do this and strike a balance between people and bird needs.

[Dog]

Just wanted to say bat dropping are very different to bird ones. Some are more like mouse droppings.