BIRDS!!!!!

[rupper]

This year has been the worst for starlings nesting in the overhangs of my barn. Of course, the mess is unbearable since I like to keep my barn clean.

Does anyone have suggestions of an inexpensive way to get rid of them? I have tried scouting them out and shooting them. I have put screens at the peaks to keep them out (they just squeeze between the the rafters and insulation to get to their nests). I have even hung heavy plastic at the door openings, just above the gates, to try to keep them out....again they just squeeze beteen the gates and the plastic. They are a smart and persistent bird.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Shari]

We had a nesting pair here. We blocked up their nesting area...but they keep coming back.

They are a nasty non native bird, that will kill native birds if given the chance. They steal nests of native birds and throw the eggs or chicks out.

Other than blocking areas where they want to nest... I sadly do not have any ideas for you.

Good luck getting rid of yours.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

If anyone figures something out, let me know. We have swallows trying to build. I tried the owl decoy and he worked for a few days. Then I tried the orange streamers, and they worked for a day; then I tried a rubber snake. As you can see, nothing is working to discourage them. In the past, if we were persistant to keep the nest cleaned off, they gave up after awhile. But it is a pain to do this year after year. Swallows aren't so bad, as they get lots of bugs, but some nest locations just don't work! Good luck with yours!

 

[Shari]

<LOL> That is creative!

I do not mind the Swallows...you are right they eat lots of bugs and are a native bird.

What we have done is put shelves up for them to build nests on. That way they are were we want them.

 

[JO~*]

I don't have any problems with the birds nesting but what I dislike is when the crows and ravens perch on the edge of the water tubs and drop all kinds of stuff in the water, bread etc.

 

[whitney]

Seems to me I read in the Horse Journal if you put a orange light (the kind that moves like a police car light) in the rafters it will help. I'm going to try this as I have 4 black bird nests and they are driving me crazy with the noise and POOP!.

 

[showmofffarm]

I'll tell you what we've done this year and NOTHING is working!!! I swear, those birds are robotic...

1. Hung CDs from the rafters, in the aisle way and all stalls. Probably 60 of them. Worked for about 3 weeks and then, BAM, they're back again.

2. Bought two owls with spinning heads and glowing eyes. They're supposed to be afraid of them! NOT! They just went higher up in the barn and built their nests.

3. Made a CD recording of hawks and owls screeching and put it on a timer to play. We're thinking that these dang birds think it's a mating call....

4. Put a bird feeder up to bring them close enough to shoot with a BB gun - works great until they see my fiance coming and then they're no where in sight. Maybe we ought to make a life size cut out of him and put it in the barn????

We've about given up. The bird poop is horrid and they're just obnoxious little birds. The cat doesn't do a darn thing until we've shot one and it's dead then he thinks it's great to play with.

We did hear that if you play distress calls of the bird you're trying to get rid of that will drive it away. I also heard that they will die if they ingest chocolate so we're considering doing some research on that.

We'd like to try to get an owl to take residence in the barn but we have no clue how to do that.

 

[carlenehorse]

Well this is what we did for our peacocks who had a habit of staying on our deck and making a mess.

We put 4 rubber snakes on the deck and they never went on the deck again. Try putting a rubber snake in the nest and see what happens. You may need to tie it down so they don't try and knock it out of the nest.

Please let me know if this works.

Carlene

 

[tiny zebra]

Barn cats!

 

[Sterling]

So far we have not had any nesting in the barn, altho we do have a native finch in there with her hatchlings. I too am having problems with crows dumping all kinds of junk in my water buckets. I can fill it and clean it all up spick and span one day and the following morning I'll have egg noodles, half a turkey sandwich and even a piece of chicken leg....not to mention they like using it as a toilet bowl too! :no: :nono:

 

[dangerranger]

after cleaning out the nests I grease the area with a liquid soap. It wont get rid of them but moves them soimewhere else.DR.

 

[Jacquee']

Here is an article about controlling birds, and some different methods:

Bird Control Article

Another good method is a starling trap. Like you say, they are clever birds, and will crawl into the trap. At the end of the day, you dispose of the birds however you choose, and save one back to encourage others to enter the trap. Pretty soon, no starlings. The link above has some starling traps for sale, some really big. As I recall, Stromberg's sells starling traps too. Here is the link: Stromberg's trap page. Hope that there is something here that will work for you. It is an annoying problem.

 

[kaykay]

two of my 3 border collies will not tolerate birds in the barn Lol. she made them so miserable at our old farm they decided to nest elsewhere. she could catch them in midair. countryhaven has a pup from this female and she also chases them out of the barn.