My daughter knocked down all of the barn swallow nests in the belief that it prevents disease. I am reading they like to return to their old nests. I have multiple pairs that return every year. Will they rebuild new nests this year or am I out of luck?
I don’t have them on my farm (sadly!), but my friend does, and she removes the nests when the birds are done with them. They keep coming back, so apparently they are fine with rebuilding each year
I pulled mine down before last spring, because the previous batch had a TERRIBLE mite problem. The swallows had no problem rebuilding 
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I have swallows return every year.
Some of last year’s nests fall down (or get knocked down by starlings) & IME, get rebuilt in the same places. Or new nests get built nearby.
@deacon’s mom I’m curious, what disease are swallows being accused of carrying?
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I usually leave the nests unless they are in an inconvenient place and dust them with permectrin insect killing powder (sold for gardens) in the autumn once they are empty. Still, sometimes the pairs that come the next Spring will choose to build in a new location and sometimes will reuse the old nest so it probably makes no difference. You might make sure there is a nice mud puddle kept moist when they are newly returned to make new nest building easier.
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Thanks everybody. One pair rebuilt a nest. I ordered some pre-made nests I will hang up. I have no idea what diseases she was trying to prevent. With all the recent rain in Virginia, there’ plenty of mud.
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Mites can live in a place without a host?
Wouldnt they die out for the multiple months the nest is empty?
Well, I was curious so I did a search & found this wealth of information about swallow nest parasites & how to delve into them if you so desire. While it focuses on Tree Swallows, it has Barn Swallow information as well & also talks about replacements if you want to do that.
https://www.treeswallowprojects.com/cparasit.html
