You might have to deal with barn swallows if you have a barn. But what are they, how can you identify them, and how do you get rid of them? We’ll explain what barn swallows are, how to identify the nests, the problems they cause, and some ideas for getting rid of them. Some of these ideas include:
- Removing the nest.
- Putting up netting
- Using ultrasonic repellents
- Using visual deterrents.
What are Barn Swallows?
Barn swallows are birds with long, slender, streamlined bodies and long and pointed wings. They have a small head and a short, strong beak. Their tails can be square-ended or forked. Their legs are short. Most barn swallow species are white below and glossy green or blue on top. You can find them in all geographic regions except Australia and Antarctica.
How to Identify a Barn Swallow Bird’s Nest
The barn swallow nests anywhere there is an open water source for foraging and a sheltered ledge for nesting. They like to build nests under the eaves of houses, bridges, boat docks, and rock caves.
Do Barn Swallows Cause Problems?
Nesting swallows can become a nuisance for homeowners. Not only do they build mud nests around the outside of buildings, including eaves and porches, but they also poop and foul feed in and around their nests, damaging the outsides of homes and buildings.
What’s more, large colonies in urban areas can create health risks for people living there. Barn swallows’ droppings transmit diseases like salmonella.
Nine Ways to Get Rid of Barn Swallows
Now that you know what they are and what problems they cause, here are some ways you can get rid of them.
Remove the nest.
Nests should only be taken down when empty and use a cleaning solution to clean feathers and droppings. Paint areas that need to be treated. Remove all nests from unwanted surfaces.
Put up netting.
You can use bird netting to block barn swallows’ access to tricky building sides, rafters, and crevices where they like to build their nests. Install barn swallow netting if you want to keep barn swallows out of an area or other valuable property.
Keep barn swallows away with ultrasonic repellents.
Use an ultrasonic repellent if netting isn’t an option. Using it indoors or in semi-enclosed spaces is easy and low-profile. It emits high-frequency sounds, is made of solid steel, reduces recurring repair costs, and reduces nuisance.
Add visual deterrents.
You can improve the results by adding visual deterrents like plastic owl sculptures. Using them can effectively scare away barn swallows and other birds without using sound. At the same time, they make your property look more beautiful.
Install a swallow nesting shield.
There are monofilaments attached to this plastic strip. Secure it on overhangs, eaves, entryways, gables, or anywhere a barn swallow might nest. Monofilaments will hang down to the ground.
This method only works if you cover all the nesting spots. They’ll just look for a different place that doesn’t have a swallow nesting shield over it if you don’t.
Install a bird deterrent flying kite.
If you want an excellent barn swallow prevention method, you’ll need something to immediately scare birds off before laying a talon on your roof. A great way to do that is to use a bird deterrent flying kite.
Attach it securely to a surface and let it fly up on windy days. Barn swallows will see something large and unnatural moving erratically in one area and associate it with danger. Due to this, you’d think any kite would do.
There are, however, even more features in the bird deterrent flying kite that will keep barn swallows away. It usually looks like a large bird of prey and uses colors and patterns typically associated with predators.
The black color creates a contrast with the daytime sky. Red and yellow colors are arranged to resemble the eyes of dangerous animals. There is even a reflective surface to act as an additional anti-swallow feature.
They’re also made for outdoor use. These are more durable than your run-of-the-mill kites, so you don’t keep losing them when the wind is powerful.
Use lasers to deter barn swallows.
Keeping swallows from nesting isn’t as simple as removing empty nests. Barn swallows can choose a different part of your home to roost, so you will have to wait until the nest is free of barn swallows before removing it again.
So if completely removing barn swallows is your goal, you need to use a combination of different methods. A laser device can deter barn swallows. The device emits bright lasers that move in unexpected patterns. The intensity of the light enables it to cover a larger area.
So how does it get rid of barn swallows? Birds avoid strange moving objects if they see unpredictable movements. When swallows can’t figure out a pattern, they don’t tempt fate.
Installation is simple, just plug them in and keep them oriented in the direction barn swallows are expected to appear. To reduce your electric bill, you can set the device to emit light every 5, 10, or 15 minutes. That way, it won’t stay on all night.
Use electronic sound to get rid of barn swallows.
You can also deter them with an electric sound device. It emits sounds usually associated with danger and distress instead of annoying high-pitched sounds. Predator soundbites are prerecorded.
When a barn swallow hears this, it immediately thinks the area is unsafe and leaves. Different predator sounds make your property sound like a watering hole for everything that can hear a swallow.
These are just a few ways you can get rid of barn swallows. Once you’ve found a method or a few methods that work for you, keep using them, and you’ll keep the barn swallows away, along with any chance of spreading diseases to other people or animals on your farm.