I'm renewing the roof, filling in the gaps where birds were nesting where lime mortar had crumbled and stones got loose, many binbags of straw have been removed.
But maybe it'd be good to provide a new home for the birds. How? chicken wire? Has anyone a weblink to someone who knows?
[g]
the ones that have been evicted as they wouldn't have filled voids with straw etc. That will most likely have come from starlings, blackbirds etc. They need the hollows and ledges that have been removed.
Swifts DO build nests in voids with 'straw'. If they've been nesting in a place, even if it's been disturbed, they or their successors will be back. Swallows don't build nests on the outside of houses, house martins build under eaves but on the outside, making 'cups' from mud.
I suggest that house sparrows might suffer most because it will take them a long time to re-fill the void. Can't suggest a solution though.
Mary
First of all, I'm glad to see you're doing this outside the breeding season.
Swifts, House Sparrows, and Starlings are all species that prefer to nest in roof spaces and ALL ARE ENDANGERED SPECIES in the UK.
As a previous poster wrote, Swifts are incredibly loyal to their nest sites and will return for many generations. If they find access to these sites have been blocked they will often dash themselves against the blockage repeatedly until the fall to the ground. Once this happens they become easy prey to the local cats or starvation as they cannot take of from the ground if they are in less than perfect condition.
House Sparrows and Starlings are less of a problem because they are opportunistic nesters. They still need access _somewhere_ though. So unless there are structural implications, please try to leave existing access holes whenever possible. Integral nest places are infinitely preferable to external nest boxes because they will generally outlast changes of ownership and use of buildings.
If you can erect some 15mm mesh wire or board (with vents) to allow the birds access to the space immediately inside your eaves, but deny them access to the main part of the loft, they will be happy and will not cause you any problems. Wire laid horizontally across the joists will stop nesting material from accumulating between them.
The links already given provide lots of information on ways to make renovations that safeguard existing nest sites, including suitable nest boxes to make or buy if there is no alternative.
Thank you for reading this.
Geoff Beale
thanks - I will go and buy some plywood and make them spaces, and perhaps chip sme of the new concrete away with an angle grinder, but is the wire mesh so that little birds can squeeze through it or to stop the birds but let ventilation through? or to stop rats and mice colonising the straw and eating baby birds?
[g]
The 15mm mesh, or board will stop deeper penetration into your loft space as the birds will not be able to get through it. If you don't mind giving them free reign, then forget it.
For Swifts exclusively, access holes in walls should be no more than
30mm by 70mm. It does not matter if the slot is horizontal or vertical. Swifts will be able to get through, but Starlings will be excluded. Sparrows should also be able to access. For Starlings, the holes need to be at least 40mm in height.Starlings and Sparrows are the earliest nesters and will usually be fledging by the time the Swifts arrive around the beginning of May. Swifts will use Starling nest sites but occasionally Starlings continue to guard them long after their own chicks have fledged. They will try to see off Swifts and occasionally cause their deaths by clinging on until the birds hit the deck. Then the Starlings take off leaving the Swifts stranded on the ground.
If you know you already have Swifts, then it would be best to restrict the hole size.
Hope that helps Geoff Beale
For what it's worth: we had starlings in the roof a couple of years ago. After they'd gone, I blocked the hole with scrunched-up chicken wire (to allow the ventialtion, but keep out birds).
I then googled for 'starling nest box' -- found a couple of good plans; made one; was not convinced **at all** that they would like it, because it just didn't "look right" (not that I'm a starling) but put it up on the garden shed. And blow me down but the starlings occupied it next season: very satisfying.
John
Thnaks. I researched a bit more, then got out the anglegrinder and made slots for the birds, then got chicken wire etc to stop them getting inside the house.
[g]ps one advantage of getting the roofers in over christmas was the bad weather gave me time to think out things like this!
Great stuff. Well done.
Geoff Beale
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