Barn Swallows

[Evan337]

Has anyone tried attracting them? I know there are folks on the forum that have them but has anyone built nesting platforms or cups and had barn swallows use them? i just built two nesting ledges and put them in an old barn that had barn swallows always flying through it and perching outside of it but b=never nesting in it. any help or advice would be great. i have done some research online but personal accounts are even better.

[Guest]

When we moved where we are now we had a barny nest under our roof over hang. They built on top of the little bitty trim ledge that is around our door. I found those little fearless birds as great fun and put up some 2X4 ledges up tight to the soffit and now they have a couple of nests there a year. Just leave thier mud nests alone and they will reuse them every year. I am expecting mine anytime now. They get kind of used to you after awhile but will use the further ledges first. Good Luck. Oh yah, I have made mud holes in the garden for them and the martins and they dive bomb me a thank you.

[Linda Reynolds]

Evan, quite a few years ago, we built and provided two nesting platforms on the walls in our entry foyer. The barnies built nests the first season and have returned each year, repaired and refurbished the nests, and raised many youngsters. They have raised two broods each season.

The youngsters make quite a mess, as they place their dropping outside of the nest. We use sheets of plastic carpet protectors placed under the nesting platforms so we can (try to) keep the concrete as clean as possible.

They photos seem foggy as they were taken through the window on on front door.

[Wendell Hansen-IA]

Take 3 corn cobs and cut the short end off, about an in or so and run a long nail from one end to the other ( right down the center ) and nail them side by side. The barny's will nest on them everytime.

This may be an old wives tale, It came from my granddad. And for over 40 years I was thinking it was just that an old wives tale. But in the last 16 years it has proven true. My granddad had built a new cattle shed but would not put any livestock in it for over 3 years. It took the barn swallows that long to move in . When we pull the gates down I asked him why now and not before. His answer was that Barn swallows will not nest in a building that will be struck by lightning.

A very good friend of mine has been living on his farm now for over 14 years. Barn swallows nest in all the building but one. The hog shed has been hit by lightning twice now. You what to take a wild guess in what building it was. Good luck to ya......

[Guest]

We built a ledge last year, but did not attract any to it. This year we have put up two nest cups, and will put up two more soon. Keep us posted and let us know if you get any.

[rickluc]

You can take approx. six 16 penny nails and drive into the wood or surface. Spacing approx. 1 1/2 inchs apart. Thats all they need! Good luck

[Evan337]

thanks for all the replies. i built two of these nesting platforms: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/construction/robin.htm.

i mounted them about 14 feet high on poles in a barn. they are always around checking out the barn and the house and the carport but they have never built nests and raised young.

there are huge populations of them nesting in the newer residential developments because the front porches of all these newer homes have columns with ledges that they love. i tried to simulate that ledge surface with these platforms.

how is the barn swallow migration going? i have seen a few this year but not many. when do the majority of the barn swallows begin arriving in the south?thanks again for the help.

[Barrowdog]

In this part of the world our barn swallows nest under piers . A precarious undertaking to say the least! They fly with the martins at times. Our pier is high and thus far they have fledged before our storm season. The parents sit them on top of the pier in a row for their first flights. That is special!

[Guest]

Make sure if you can, that you mount the cups about 2 to3 inches from a ceiling. They prefer to have something right over the top of their nests. (protection, I am assuming) Also,dirty up the cup or platform a bit. I take mud and mash it their to make it look like a nest was their. In the cups I actually mold a mud nest in the cup.

[Guest]

I put up some cups last year... still no luck yet, but there's a lot of swallows around our neighborhood. I'll try muddying them up this weekend - that sounds like a good idea!

[tcg]

thanks for all the replies. i built two of these nesting platforms: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/construction/robin.htm.

I built two of these this year but have only managed to attract robins. I think a narrower ledge might make it less attractive to other types of birds. I'm thinking of building one of these to see how well it works:

http://www.50birds.com/MPBarnSwallowLedge.htm

[Guest]

another tip:
Keep your placement away from windows, patio furniture, and anything a cat can use as a takeoff platform.