Dive-bombing Barn Swallows

[prairiewind2]

OK - sorry. I’ve had em for 15 years and hundreds of babies and dozens of adults have never hit me. Maybe they know I like them. (I do believe in karma. :lol:)

One did plainly ask for my help one time, for an especially klutzy baby! But he hovered near me and did not hit me.

Liz

[QUOTE=asb2517;6407880]
Completely agree. I hate birds. I don’t care if they leave me alone, but barn swallows are the worst. And PS…for everyone who says “they NEVER hit you”…that’s NOT true…sometimes their timing is not as good as they think. Or maybe they know I hate them. One or the other, but sometimes they hit you.[/QUOTE]

[Tornado_Run_Farm]

[QUOTE=Bacardi1;6411310]
Well, apparently, from the absolutely idiotic & hysterical threads/posts on here every year re: folks going batshit crazy about Barn Swallows, SOMEONE has to act as “bird police”.

And I’m perfectly calm. Just dismayed that so very many supposedly intelligent people know so very little about the wildlife they live amongst. Their only viewpoint seems to be “I’m being inconvenienced & how can I make this inconvenience stop asap”.[/QUOTE]

Can’t agree with Bacardi more - it seems like the people that complain about rabbits taking over their gardens are the same people who shoot coyotes on sight; the people that complain about mice running amuck in their barn are the same people who kill a black snake just 'cause; and the same people that complain about the barn swallows protecting their nests are the same people that are drenching their horses with chemicals because of the daggone flys… … just sayin…

[GaitedGloryRider]

[QUOTE=Bacardi1;6411310]
Well, apparently, from the absolutely idiotic & hysterical threads/posts on here every year re: folks going batshit crazy about Barn Swallows, SOMEONE has to act as “bird police”.

And I’m perfectly calm. Just dismayed that so very many supposedly intelligent people know so very little about the wildlife they live amongst. Their only viewpoint seems to be “I’m being inconvenienced & how can I make this inconvenience stop asap”.[/QUOTE]

I don’t know whom you’re referring to because I’m hardly going batshit crazy over this. I dealt just fine while the birds were there, left them alone as best I could given their location, they raised their young and are currently gone. No harm done to any animal involved including the birds. Never once did I consider removing the nest while they were in it despite the “inconvenience” they caused which really, I didn’t even perceive it as that. Mostly I was concerned about stressing them out as avoiding the area where they were nesting was impossible.

At this point my main question was about removing the empty nest, which I’ve decided to hold off on since it was mentioned they could be returning over the next few days.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want to encourage them to nest in a different part of the barn if possible. They were stressing the horses out, the cats out, the people out and they were clearly not happy with all the activity going on in the current location of the nest. Got no problem seeing them come back, just would prefer them to be nested in the (quieter) rear of the barn. Heck, I’d even go buy a little bird house for them to put up in the back of the barn if that would encourage them to nest in a more suitable place. (Any COTHers know if that would help?)

Save your vitriol and disdain for someone else, because I’m in no way trying to deprive these birds of a home nor is anyone else at our barn. More concerned about providing a good environment for ALL the animals in there, be it hoofed or feathered.

[GaitedGloryRider]

[QUOTE=Tornado Run Farm;6411495]
Can’t agree with Bacardi more - it seems like the people that complain about rabbits taking over their gardens are the same people who shoot coyotes on sight; the people that complain about mice running amuck in their barn are the same people who kill a black snake just 'cause; and the same people that complain about the barn swallows protecting their nests are the same people that are drenching their horses with chemicals because of the daggone flys… … just sayin…[/QUOTE]

Again, not sure who you’re referring to and I hope it’s not me since I’m the OP here.

We don’t kill any wildlife that happens upon our barn, even nuisance animals like raccoons and possums, they are simply trapped and relocated. We leave any and all animals alone right down to the spiders as long as they don’t pose a threat to people, the horses, the cats and dogs. In those cases they are trapped and released, never killed. We’ve even had a large black snake calling our loft home for quite a few years now, and yes it was great seeing the drastic reduction in our mouse population when she moved in. Didn’t even bother her clutch of eggs we found by the shavings pile a couple months ago.

So to you also, save your disdain for someone else because it’s unwarranted here. We do not kill the wildlife around our barn and do our best to just leave them be if possible.

[prairiewind2]

@GaitedGloryRider;6411534

Heck, I’d even go buy a little bird house for them to put up in the back of the barn if that would encourage them to nest in a more suitable place. (Any COTHers know if that would help?)

I do not know if these work, but yes, they do sell artificial barn swallow nests.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-For-Birds-Swallow-Nest/dp/B001FTD8S6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341338863&sr=8-1&keywords=barn+swallow+nest

I have to say I’m surprised the BS stress your horses. Our horses ignore them while they swoop in and out of the open stalls. Heck, the BS fly right over the horses’ heads to get in and out of the barn.

Liz

[GaitedGloryRider]

[QUOTE=prairiewind2;6411623]
I do not know if these work, but yes, they do sell artificial barn swallow nests.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-For-Birds-Swallow-Nest/dp/B001FTD8S6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341338863&sr=8-1&keywords=barn+swallow+nest

I have to say I’m surprised the BS stress your horses. Our horses ignore them while they swoop in and out of the open stalls. Heck, the BS fly right over the horses’ heads to get in and out of the barn.

Liz[/QUOTE]

Thanks!

And they didn’t stress them all out, but we do have a few flighty horses that were not really digging getting bombed by them. Nothing major, no huge drama but still, if it can be avoided in the future why not? The one that stressed the most was our old, old, old blind Appy cross. He could hear them, he knew they were getting too close for comfort but he obviously couldn’t see them. Generally a pretty chill guy, he wasn’t amused in the least by them. After the first couple times being led through there I had to start rerouting him through the back of the barn to his pasture because he’d refuse to go out the front entrance as soon as he heard them.

We rarely use the rear entrance to the barn, everyone goes in and out the front. If they set up shop in the back they could raise their babies undisturbed to their heart’s delight, as long as they want as many nests as they want. Nobody really goes back there, it’s just stalls used for storage and an empty loft.

[prairiewind2]

[QUOTE=GaitedGloryRider;6411750]
Thanks!
The one that stressed the most was our old, old, old blind Appy cross. He could hear them, he knew they were getting too close for comfort but he obviously couldn’t see them. Generally a pretty chill guy, he wasn’t amused in the least by them.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I can see how a blind horse might be reactive. Our swallows never dive bomb the horses though, even when the babes are fledging. Don’t know why, since they bomb everything else that moves. :lol:

Liz

[GaitedGloryRider]

They were definitely dive bombing with the horses too. Maybe it wasn’t so much the horses as me leading them? I dunno. Or maybe they were just so worked up after constantly bombing me during the feeding routine they weren’t going to stop? Again I dunno. Most of the horses just ignored them but two of the Saddlebreds, the idjit mare that spooks at EVERYTHING and of course the old blind fellow were given pause.

I really don’t know anything about typical Barn Swallow behavior or birds in general for that matter. For all I know maybe we just had a particularly aggressive pair? Dunno. At any rate they are welcome back, just would like to see them nesting in a different spot.

I just ordered two of those Swallow nests off Amazon to put up in the back of the barn and I’m going to take down their nest above the feed bins after waiting a week to make sure they are gone.

[prairiewind2]

[QUOTE=GaitedGloryRider;6411887]
They were definitely dive bombing with the horses too. Maybe it wasn’t so much the horses as me leading them?

For all I know maybe we just had a particularly aggressive pair?

I just ordered two of those Swallow nests off Amazon to put up in the back of the barn and I’m going to take down their nest above the feed bins after waiting a week to make sure they are gone.[/QUOTE]

The birds absolutely will dive bomb if I am leading the horses! But they don’t seem to bomb the horses when I’m not there.

And yes, we’ve had pairs that are more aggressive than others. Or maybe it’s just that the older birds get used to us and the newer birds aren’t used to us yet. I was very very sad when my first pair died years ago - they were nearly tame after about five or six years of returning to us. (Still would dive bomb during fledging, but without their earlier hysteria. :lol:)

But she died one summer; I found her on the floor underneath the nest. (Very interesting to pick her up and feel how light she was - all angles and bones under the feathers, very sportscar-ish.) He got a new mate but she returned without him the next year, so I guess they were just getting old.

I’d love to know if the faux nests work! According to one website, if you put the nests up before they lay their second clutch you might even get them to move this year. Good luck!

Liz

[GaitedGloryRider]

Liz- I’ll post here if they take up residence in the faux nests to let you know if they work. I’m really hoping they do.

I don’t know if this is a new pair or a pair of our “regulars” that usually nests in the tractor shed but if they are new, more the merrier. We don’t get them in the horse barn too much, maybe because we have a huge black snake living in the hay loft. But come to think of it I haven’t seen the snake yet this year so I’m wondering if she’s died or moved along, she’s been there forever it seems and thoroughly cleaned us out of mice. I also haven’t stumbled across her usual clutch of eggs near the shavings pile this year. Maybe she’s gone and that’s why the birds are moving in…

At any rate I’m hoping our new feathered friends can integrate themselves into the barn.

[Tornado_Run_Farm]

[QUOTE=GaitedGloryRider;6411581]
Again, not sure who you’re referring to and I hope it’s not me since I’m the OP here.[/QUOTE]

Oh dear, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t referring to you! I do apologize - I was just agreeing in general to Bacardi’s comment about co-existing with nature. I was just glancing down through the thread and her comment struck a chord with me – neighbor kid was out shooting at bats this week cause, you know, they’re bats.

Sorry, didn’t mean to offend and should not have commented at all…ugh :dead:

[GaitedGloryRider]

[QUOTE=Tornado Run Farm;6412118]
Oh dear, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t referring to you! I do apologize - I was just agreeing in general to Bacardi’s comment about co-existing with nature. I was just glancing down through the thread and her comment struck a chord with me – neighbor kid was out shooting at bats this week cause, you know, they’re bats.

Sorry, didn’t mean to offend and should not have commented at all…ugh :dead:[/QUOTE]

Sounds like neighbor kid needs a shot to the butt with some rock salt :mad:

Sorry, I should have read for content. My apologies for getting in a dander over nothing

[JB]

I’ll supply the rock salt :mad:

[prairiewind2]

@GaitedGloryRider;6412025

Liz- I’ll post here if they take up residence in the faux nests to let you know if they work. I’m really hoping they do.

Thanks! There are others who would probably be interested too!

Liz

[PNW_AMTS_Dealer]

My barn swallows nested the last couple years just above the doorway of my barn. There were a couple problems with their choice. First, the built their nest on a hook so there was no ledge or anything for the babies to perch on and practice their flapping. Several were pushed out onto the floor and the cats got them. Second, the hay stack was right next to the nest and the barn cat would lay in wait and try to grab the parents right out of the air. Third, as I walked through the door way I got my head pooped on several times, lol. So this winter I knocked down the old nest and removed the hook. In my horses big loafing stall I hung two swallow nest shelves that I purchased from Northwest Nature Shop.

http://www.northwestnatureshop.com/Birds_and_Backyards/Bird_and_Wildlife_Houses/Barn_Swallow_Platforms/index.html

It took them a while to decide the shelf was ok, but eventually the took up residence and now have babies that hatched earlier this week. hey swoop in and out of the stall all day. They are much safer and no issues. This is what it looks like…

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4072810580271.2177781.1282613030&type=3&l=12ece73ef2

On the front of the barn I put a swallow house with the slotted opening. I have a pair of Violet/green swallows nest there.

[Sonesta]

Interesting photos! Our swallows (been coming every year for 30 years - different ones of course, but same pairs come for many years before not returning eventually) build their nests with mud and sticks and horsehair. These of yours don’t seem to use mud at all. Wonder if they are a different type.

Photos of ours below. And we have 7-8 nests all around our house with the one shown below immediately outside our back door.

[allintexas]

[QUOTE=Bacardi1;6411310]
Well, apparently, from the absolutely idiotic & hysterical threads/posts on here every year re: folks going batshit crazy about Barn Swallows, SOMEONE has to act as “bird police”.

And I’m perfectly calm. Just dismayed that so very many supposedly intelligent people know so very little about the wildlife they live amongst. Their only viewpoint seems to be “I’m being inconvenienced & how can I make this inconvenience stop asap”.[/QUOTE]

Couldn’t agree more! People tend to overreact to wildlife, and most (maybe all) birds provide little threat to humans in their daily activities

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I’m going to try those nesting shelves!

We have swallows who insist on nesting under the front porch eaves every year. This is OK by me, except I fenced in my front yard and gave my five dogs the run of it. So last year’s baby barn swallows became Kibbles and Bits.:dead:

This year, DH destroyed their first few attempts at a nest under the porch eaves, in hopes the birds would relocate to the back porch eaves or barn eaves or one of the many other places on the farm where they could actually raise a family without feeding most of their offspring to the dogs.

All it did was make DH Public Barn Swallow Enemy Number One. He couldn’t come in the gate or go out the door without the birds shrieking “Nest wrecker!” and attacking him. So he gave up. Barn swallows built their nest under the front porch eaves.

Oddly, they managed to fledge all their babies successfully this year. I don’t know how they managed it - they were certainly more aggressive this year than last so maybe it was their campaign of intimidation that paid off.

Anyway, they’ve never actually hit me either. The mockingbird who lives between my office and the courthouse, though - she’s thwacked me on the head with her wings twice last year and once this year. Doesn’t hurt, but it is startling.:lol: And she did send one guy to the hospital - poor old fellow lost his balance and fell, and being on blood thinners had to go to the ER for treatment. His wife, who has the office down the street from mine, has threatened to take out her little purse gun and Kill a Mockingbird. I explained about the Federal Migratory Bird Act. Don’t know if she believes me though.:winkgrin:

[PNW_AMTS_Dealer]

When the Barn Swallows build on the eves, ledges, or hooks they used a lot of mud. When I provided them with the shelf they use just a little mud, then top it off with a soft layer of horse mane/tail hairs, hay and feathers. I’m pretty certain they are the same birds, or at least the same type. They just don’t have to be such good builders, or use so much mud if they have a better foundation.

This is an interesting page with pictures of the different Swallows.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150693710898188.420285.174048623187&type=1