Guard Critters

Here are two of the Barn Swallows that guard my front porch! There is usually a third one that is perched on the porch light by the front door. Little critters are fearless and will call for help when disturbed! They let out a sound that attracts all the other Barn Swallows in the area, and you now six to ten little birds swarming around your head!

Hi Roy,

I have two barn swallows returning to my front porch from last year. I am trying to get rid of them. I don't want to hurt them, only to keep them from nesting on my front porch. I wouldn't care accept they make a mess of my front porch and scare people who are unaware they are there. They sure are determined little creatures!

Thanks for the pic, Roy!

They're amazing, aren't they. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My mum has a family of them on her deck every year, and as long as she doesn't move too fast and stays to her end of the deck they just keep a wary eye on her.

The little ones are fascinating when the are just learning to fly. One year she has a little daredevil that would fly as fast as he could all the time, but didn't have all that great a control. He ran into more things until he finally figured out he could go in other than a straight line. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif He was like a giant June Bug ...

They have reused the same nest on the front porch for the last 6-7 years. For some reason, this year they have not used the nest. They are roosting on the porch, but are not using the nest for some reason.

I wonder if the ones that built the nest have died?

Tik, how about building a barn swallow bird house away from your porch?
Roy, you mean this year it is a diffrent couple? (maybe the nest has bugs or something in it?) or maybe it's just become too much of a fixer upper after 7 years and they're thinking of starting from scratch this year.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oddly enough, none of the other swallows took the empty nest.

Thanks Ted.....might just give that a try.