I always adored the graceful cruise of barn swallows, quite unaware of the fact that these birds bring along with them.
Once I saw some of these birds flying around my backyard and I mean it when I say, it thrilled me!
All day I was busy trying to spot these birds in my garden and take some beautiful pictures of them for my blog.
It went all smooth for a few days until I started noticing the filth all around.
Our backyard and even our own house and the outskirts were all literally smeared with smatterings of droppings and some unsightly mud nests that ruined the otherwise aesthetically pleasing view of the garden.
It was only till this destruction got on my nerves that I decided to do the needful to stop my garden from undergoing any further damage.
Hence, I conducted detailed research on how to actually get rid of these birds effectively and efficiently.
Below listed are all the most effective ways that I have discovered so far and hence presented here for you.
In case you also are suffering from this same problem of annoying barn swallows, I got you mate!
Proven Ways To Get Rid Of Barn Swallows
An Owl Decoy To Scare off The Swallows
Owls are the principal predators of Swallows and hence you can definitely use the dread for the animal to your advantage.
As you just can’t pet an owl for the purpose, you still can use decoy owls powered by solar energy for the same.
The decoy owls can be even more effective if they move and emit owl calls from time to time.
You should also keep moving them from one place to another to make them seem real. Once the Swallows consistently spot the threat, they won’t return to your place anymore.
A Flying Kite Scarecrow As A Swallow Deterrent
Just like owl decoys, a decoy flying kite can also work wonders. Make them as dynamic and flexible as the owl decoys and place them in logical areas where the Swallows would believe them to be real.
A flying kite is always a threat and the birds won’t take the risk anyway.
Get Rid Of Barn Swallows With The Help Of Reflection
We all are aware of how bright reflections can actually scare off literally any animal in the wild. And in such cases, we definitely are here to take advantage of it.
Using the reflection theory is one of the most harmless procedures that you can adopt to get rid of annoying creatures in your garden efficiently.
You can either go for some unused old CDs, small broken mirrors, or foil sheets and reuse them or invest in an inexpensive reflection tape that is removable and reusable too.
The best way is to hang these reflectors in the places the birds visit the most.
When dynamically moving in the air, these reflectors will become unexpected sources of bright light for the birds and hence, absolutely effective.
Use Laser Lights To Get Rid Of Barn Swallows
Birds, as we know, are not fond of unpredictable flashing sources of light, just like hanging mirrors. Hence, you can use more of these weapons through unpredictable laser light sources.
You can place these laser projectors in the Swallow-prone areas of your garden just like the Swallows, and see them work wonder in driving away the birds from your property.
Use Bird Spikes To Get Rid Of Barn Swallows
Don’t let the birds perch on by installing the bird spikes. Birds love to perch to have their time off from hunting, escaping, and nesting.
Hence, if you install some bird spikes on every possible perching area for the birds, they won’t find your place worth the time off and won’t choose your place over places that offer them that privilege.
Use A Decoy Nesting House
If you don’t want them to nest in your property, build them another place to stay, and they will have nothing to do with your property anymore.
This method is actually a calculative method to choose to facilitate the birds rather than depriving them.
Also, driving the birds away might lead to them coming back once you have removed the barriers you set up.
But building them a place makes sure that they will have no reason to come back to your place anymore as they are better off elsewhere.
They still might hang around in your place anyway and also work as your natural pest control.
All you need to do is buy some of these decoy nests that are available in the markets and place them in convenient places for the birds to choose them.
Also, make them quite attractive and natural to make them believe that it’s their own.
Ultrasonic Bird Repellents Are Worth It
Birds are capable of hearing frequencies that are even lower than human audible range and this trait is definitely something that is worth being used to our benefit.
These Ultrasonic bird repellents emit noises that are of pitch lower than what humans can hear yet within the range of what birds can, and that too in an annoying manner.
When played constantly, the birds find it extremely unpleasant and will automatically deter away from your property.
These machines are also quite easy to set up and use and hence definitely something you can try immediately and consistently for best results.
Liquid Bird Deterrents Work Well Too
Liquid bird deterrents are mostly considered hazardous because of their high content of chemicals that are apparently harmful to human health.
But in reality, the repellent producers are well aware of the harm and hence always design these in a safe manner.
Hence, you can use methyl anthranilate as a liquid bird deterrent for the best possible results due to its high-efficiency rate.
This smells like grape juice and hence is not extremely harmful or unpleasant to inhale in the first place.
Get Rid Of All The Food
Any creature will survive only in places where they will find a good supply of food.
Hence, if the birds are choosing your place to shelter during their migratory halts, it is probably because they find an immense supply of edibles there like flies, beetles, butterflies, bees, moths, wasps, and so on.
So, in order to make your place absolutely devoid of any interest that can be served to the Swallows, you first must use some insect and pest repellants to get rid of these edible insects for the bird.
Once you successfully do that, why would a Swallow even visit your place at all?
Old Nests Must Be Washed Down
For this solution, you must check the laws in your state and whether it is legal to touch old bird nests and destroy them.
Barn Swallows are migratory birds and hence they keep coming back to the same place every year at the same time.
So if you destroy the old nests they made at your place, they might not find any purpose to stay at your place and hence, prefer places where they already have their nests, leaving your property alone.
Get Yourself A Bird Netting
Like no organism can survive without a shelter, so does it apply to the birds too, including our unwanted guests, namely Barn Swallows.
These birds are mainly thriving on your property because they have built their own little nets for themselves to live in and create nuisance in your garden. But what if they don’t find that purpose at all in your garden?
That is especially where bird nettings can help you.
These nets will not let the birds navigate to places they want to when you will use them as a shield in the concerned places, preferably in places like eaves, ledges, rafters, or literally any place close to the ceiling.
All you will need is the net, some corner attachments, perimeter cables, net ring loops, etc., to make efficient use of these nets for your purpose.
Lastly, Call A Professional
All the above-stated methods are some proven DIY methods that have indeed helped many and even myself to get rid of these birds.
But sometimes, none of them might work well for you depending on some circumstances or the rate of infestation and damage that has already taken place.
Do not find yourself helpless yet because professional assistance can still help you solve the issue.
Wildlife control services are always up to help people with such problems.
You just have to choose an officially registered service provider that is on par with the wildlife laws in your state, to avoid any legal issues arising.
The process might be expensive, but their scientific equipment is assured to get rid of the problem for you, and hence, the investment is definitely worth it and you must go for it!
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