Mud nest birds may include various birds that make their nests with mud. A few of the bird species that build mud nests include barn swallows, purple martins, and magpies. Invasion of swallows in US homes is quite a common factor and, usually, they are the birds building mud nests around your property.

Sometimes, you may not have enough space or a safety issue where the birds might need to be relocated. To do this securely, it is a good idea to look for preventive measures that help the creatures look for different homes.

Why Relocate a Mud Nest Bird?

Barn swallows are interesting to watch when they are busy building their home on the wall of your front porch. However, once they start living in their nests, your property might become messy with bird droppings and unsightly mud nests.

Moreover, birds do get a little territorial so you might experience a few dive-bombs when you’re nearby. You will tend to find more mud nests around your property in a specific season, when swallows migrate to the United States.

Time to Migrate Back to the United States

Swallows migrate back to North America during spring and early summer as they like warmer areas. They usually like to return to the same nest as before. So, if you have had mud nest birds last year and you did nothing to get rid of them, then it’s likely that you will have the same problem this year too. Also, the more you deter taking measures, the number of the birds and their nests will increase as they like living in colonies.

The most common places around your house that these birds will occupy are porches, under eaves, entrance ways, patios, barns, tool sheds, and other areas providing suitable shade to these little birds.

So, act fast before the problem gets out of hand and you have a whole population of mud nest birds near your house.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Mud Nests and the Birds Living in Them

If you have a mud nest problem around your house and you want to get rid of it, then you will be able to do so by applying the following ways.

Bird Netting

This is without a doubt the best way to protect your house from the little birds. Bird netting will block the way for birds to come on your property and would, therefore, avoid any invasions. Before the migrating season, just make sure to cover the areas that are most likely to be occupied.

However, be careful that the nests have been fully vacated by the birds before you block their way. Disturbing an occupied swallow nest is illegal.

Get a Bird Deterrent Flying Kite

To avoid swallows from building nests on your property, installing a bird deterrent flying kite is another good option. All birds are afraid of other creatures and their movement. By using such a kite, swallows will associate your place with danger and stay away from it.

They will think of the kites as a bigger bird because kites are usually shaped like a preying bird. They are strong and would not tear away easily as a normal kite would on a windy day.

Barn Swallow Bird Spikes

All birds like to perch, and swallows are no exception. They will try and find places that will allow them to rest their wings. You can install barn swallow bird spikes in places that you find most appropriate for swallows to perch.

These may sound dangerous and harmful to the little birds but they are built in a way that cannot injure the birds in any way. They just make an uncomfortable seating area for birds and are not sharp. This method is also quite convenient.

Wash During the Beginning

This is a little rude but an effective technique to get rid of the swallows from invading your house again. However, with this option, you need to be extremely careful with the timing. Make sure that the nests are vacant before you wash them.

In case the nest is active and there are eggs inside, then you must wait for them to hatch and the birds to migrate before you wash the mud nests away. Upon finding their nests gone, the mud nest birds will stop nesting on your house as they would not consider it safe.

You can also wash it away at the very start of the building process so they do not even get a chance to occupy it. However, be sure to check the local laws of your particular state, as some states forbid disturbing even the empty swallow mud nests.

Offer an Alternate Home

You can use decoy barn swallow houses that are available in the market, and install them in the places around your house that you don’t mind having swallows living in.

These decoys are usually crescent-shaped to form a pocket and are made of durable materials such as concrete and plywood. You would simply have to nail it on the wall of your choice. Putting a little hay inside will also make them find the house you installed for them welcoming. They can even build on it using the hay you left for them.

Remove Their Food Supply

One reason an uninvited guest can be attracted to your place is because of the availability of the type of food that they eat. If a mud nest bird finds a steady supply of food nearby, it is more likely to stay.

Mud swallows usually eat flying insects such as flies, beetles, butterflies, bees, wasps, moths, and more. So, getting your place bug-free will help deal with the problem of increasing unsightly mud nests around your place.

So, before it’s time for the birds to migrate back to the United States, get your place cleaned up of all such flying critters.

Scare Tactics

You want to get rid of this problem in ways that are humane and do not want to hurt a mud nest bird in any way. Scaring them away by their reflection is one such way. It is easy, yet effective.

Like most birds, swallows are also easily frightened by sudden movement. By installing mirrors or reflective decorations around the areas that are most prone to nest building, swallows will get frightened by their reflection and stay away.

Such surfaces may also catch and reflect light, and the sudden and unexpected flash that comes out will help to deter them.

Get Help From Professionals

If you have tried everything but nothing is working, then it’s best to call a professional wildlife control service. It is an expensive option, but it’s highly effective as these people know exactly what to do, how to do it, and how to do it legally.

You can even get their help with removing active nests as they have the proper permits to do it. They will be able to remove the active nests for you safely without harming the eggs or the baby swallows inside.

Swallow season can be a little daunting as they might cover your place with their not-so-pretty mud nests. Due to the legalities surrounding swallows, the ways you can get rid of them and their mud houses are limited. However, even if limited, the mentioned ways to get rid of them are quite effective and will make sure that the swallows do not invade your house the next season.