Birds in barn

coopers · May 20, 2004

Like someone mentioned, they could be barn swallows. If the nest is made out of mud with feathers lining it, they're barn swallows. If the mud nest is inclosed, like a jug, they're cliff swallows. Be careful in how you go about dealing with them, they are legally protected and tampering with their nest while eggs and young are in it is bad news. Best option is to wait till they're gone. They're great birds to have around, very beautiful, sound pretty and have quite a bit of character. If they're starlings or house sparrows, those are non-native birds and are not portected by federal law and you can do as you please with them! Take care

Blake
WA

cowboydoc · May 20, 2004

Barn swallows are protected by federal law? Are you sure about that? We knock out hundreds of their dang nests every year. They get in our machine sheds and crap all over everything. Not only a big nuisance but the bird crap ruins the paint on equipment and makes a mess.

mrcaptainbob · May 21, 2004

We have quite a number of barn swallows flying around. At the start of the warm weather the mosquitos were getting to be quite intolerable. Finally the swallows came back! Had no idea how much I missed them! No more mosquito problems. We have several cats. They do frequent the barn. As for following us around while mowing, yes, they do that, but the funniest is to watch those barn swallows CHASE!! and dive bomb one cat in particular! She pretty much ignores them now. If she naps or rests by the corral fence, and one of those swallows spots her..the dive bombing starts! They don't bother any other of the cats. Poor Pansy-Cat!

arkydog · May 21, 2004

As suggested above, I think that they are barn swallows. Will just have to wait and see what happens as to whether they leave or not. Thanks for the replays.

arkydog

By the way, they do follow me around when I cut grass and occasionally dive bomb me, kind of fun!

TheKid · May 21, 2004

( Barn swallows are protected by federal law? Are you sure about that? )
Yes, they are protected. Here is thea list of all birds protected by the migratory bird treaty. As silly as it sounds, even picking up a Blue Jay feather and taking it into your house is a violation.

beenthere · May 21, 2004

No law against the cats taking the birds out, and I don't think the home-owner is restricted from getting rid of the "pests" on his property (at least in my 'book of operation' it doesn't say anything /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).

However, I am perfectly okay with Arkydog leaving his birds alone. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I was just responding to his request for "suggestions" to handle his problem of the birds taking over his shed.

coopers · May 21, 2004

Yeah, you want to be careful, a hefty fine and/or jail sentence will be issued if you are caught doing illegal things such as shooting them, or taking down their nests. Personally, I don't agree with taking the nests down while eggs and young are in it, but whatever, I do understand the frustration of them crapping on tractors, but there are ways in preventing that. The only birds (not going to get too specific here) that are not covered by the MBTA (migratory bird treaty act) are house sparrows, starlings and pigeons (rock doves).

Blake
WA

SPIKER · May 21, 2004

We have them around our lace too, very nice skitter getters. they love to swim about 2' above the pond water skimming along and grabbing any little bug that hapens to be on top. alctually dipping water for drinking or a bug out about 2~3 times across the thing. The boss's place house has a 15' plus porch overhang which has some elec outlet wires and they LOVE the wires for setting and building on. when on the porch they will get very frusterated attempting to get to the nests. will chirp and sing at you to try and get you to move, slide 5 feet away and they will go to look into the nest and feed the young.

anyhow I think they are very attractive birds, blue orange tints and gracefull flight.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

cowboydoc · May 22, 2004

I called the DNR on this and they said that if the birds were causing damage to property and you could document the damage that you were allowed to get them out of private buildings. You cannot disturb them in their natural habitat he said. He said you can't shoot them but you can remove nests, put barriers, etc. and this is not considered harrassment of them as long as it is done to protect your personal property.

coopers · May 22, 2004

Cowboy, you're right on that. It's called a depredation permit. That's why it's better to attempt to stop the nest construction before rather than distrubing it during incubation and raising of the young.

Blake
WA