The hatching of new birds means a continuation of a species. Some households even install nesting poles to invite a certain type of bird to propagate in their area. But as much as it’s a good thing, it turns problematic when the birds decided to nestle on your eaves gutter. They block the waterway and becomes a fire hazard at some point. The nests become a mess as the birds expand and leave debris including their smelly droppings. This is the reason why it’s important how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter.
Another reason why you have to discourage the birds from nesting on gutter vents and eaves is that they are exposed to some danger. These parts of the house become heated and therefore harm the offspring laid on the nest. This is a crucial point, especially for protected species.
You should also remember that nesting birds can be protective parents. They might attack you when you’re cleaning the roof or trying to remove the nest. You have to be careful and armed with some foolproof ways of succeeding in the process. But before you do, you should know which birds are protected by the federal and state laws. The likes of house sparrows and European starlings are not protected.
Here are some safe methods that you can utilize:
1. Stop before the nest completes
In most states, it’s legal to destroy the nest of any bird as long as it’s not fully established. You have to prevent the birds from fully establishing the hideout by manually removing the materials they have already stuffed on your gutter. You can use a power washer to get rid of it. However, it’s important that you destroy the nest when the parent bird is away so you won’t stand the chance of being attacked.
If you’re dealing with house sparrows or European starlings, you’re free to destroy the nest even if it’s already fully established. Just make sure that your state doesn’t have superseding laws with that of the MBTA. You are free to knock off the nest with eggs if the state laws don’t pose any sanctions on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter. However, I recommend that you practice humane means like calling a wildlife remover or evacuating the nest in another area. This might be a challenge and may end you up with some hurtful pecks from the parent bird.
Do this repeatedly as the starlings or sparrows might come back and recreate the nest. They will soon find your eaves unfriendly or you’ll survive the whole breeding season doing this.
2. Hide the nest material
After destroying the nest, make sure that you don’t throw the nest materials in the trash. The sparrows or starlings can easily recover this and effortlessly rebuild their nesting place. Instead, place it in a plastic bag and hide it from possible pecking. This will make it harder for the birds to find new materials so they’ll likely seek a new habitat. Repeatedly remove the nests and hide the materials until the birds grew tired of it. The only downside here is that the re-nesting birds might be a new batch of parents taking over your eaves.
Don’t worry, you just have to stand the season. But in case you don’t have the patience, read on and explore other commercial options and devices that you can utilize. It may cost some money but it will be effortless solutions on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter.
3. Make the slope steeper
The reason why birds like starlings nest under your eaves is it’s safe from predators and natural elements. It serves as an instant roof and if the slope isn’t too steep, your house becomes an easy choice. One thing you can do is to make the slope steeper by installing an additional board or reconstructing this part of your roof. If you can’t manage to do that, you can use some commercial solutions.
You can use the likes of Bird B Gone’s Nesting Deterrent. It’s composed of a clear plastic plate that you can mount on the sides of the eaves. The plates have microfilament strings attached to it that will make the slope a bit rugged for nesting. This works most of the time but make sure your eaves doesn’t have a cave-like hole or any cavity that can be used as a nesting spot.
You can also place some of these on your attic vents if the birds keep on nesting on it. Every part of the nesting deterrent is transparent and low key so it won’t ruin the aesthetic of your home. A great way on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter.
4. Use reflective mirrors or scares
If you don’t want two-feet strings dangling from your eaves, you can explore other means of sending the birds away. Putting a mirror in the middle of the slopes is a good way to stop the sparrows or starlings from nesting. The reflection of the light will blind them and make it impossible for them to go near your eaves or gutter.
Birds love undisturbed and safe spots. If you make it hard for them to even roost on your eaves, they will find it impossible to create a nest. Aside from the irritating flashing lights, the presence of the light reflection will make a bird think that the spot is already occupied.
If you want to know how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter, hang some of the Homescape Creations Reflective Scare Spiral Rods. This 15-inch long spiral rods glimmer when struck with light plus it rotates and moves when hit by a light breeze. You can place some of these on the roof ledge or under the eaves.
Every pack of the Homescape Creations bird scare comes with six spiral rods and hanging hooks.
5. Make your gutter unfriendly for birds
Like what I said, birds nest on your eaves because it’s a comfortable spot. What you have to do is to make it “uncomfortable”. One trick is to use the Bird B Gone product, but you can also install spikes or use sticky gel to make the surface inconducive to nesting.
One of most reliable bird spike is the Bird-X Stainless Steel Pack. It’s non-corrosive and can last for a decade even with bird droppings and weathering in the works. You can choose whatever pack you want to buy depending on the length of the area you want to cover. This is perfect on roof ledges and eaves as it can bend in 360 degrees without breaking off. You have the choice to nail it on the eaves or use a separate adhesive as a way on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter.
Another deterrent option that you have is the bird repellent sticky gel. This is a non-toxic chemical that you can use to make the surface of the eaves unsettling for the sparrows and starlings. You can apply a JT Eaton Bird Repellent tube using a caulk gun to make the eaves’ surface sticky. It’s not harmful to the birds and there’s no way it will poison them.
6. Create a safer nesting area
If you provide the nesting birds with a safer place to build their home, it’s less likely that they’ll pester your eaves. Install a nesting box or let your tree be a host to it. You can make birdhouses on your yard or near your area where the flyers can freely settle without the outdoor harm.
You can perform some craftwork and create nesting boxes or purchase them commercially. One of the best finds is the a Nesting Perch with a wide opening and a sloping roof, somewhat mimicking the structure of your eaves. It will protect the birds from outdoor elements and they will surely be attracted here once you start bird proofing your home during the breeding season.
You can secure this nest on the side of your fence or on a tree as a method on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter. There are holes in it if you plan to fix it in a place. The paint of this nesting box doesn’t fade easily and it can last for years even if used outdoors and in harsh weathers. The Coveside nesting box is a wise buy if you’re not much of a handyman.
7. Fix the holes and cavities
Don’t let empty and secure spaces sitting on your eaves. Some sparrows or starlings can still find their way through your eaves if you don’t use a strong deterrent. Make sure that you block any holes that they can come back to on the next breeding season. Block your chimney, vents, pipe fittings, and attic to avoid cavity-nesting of some birds. You can install a wire mesh or cap on the chimney or plug the pipe fittings with a crumpled bronze metal mesh.
You should also check if the problem is on the separate nesting box you installed. Some bigger birds can take over the spot and drive the sparrows and starlings into some other part of your house. You can make a tunnel going to the entrance so unwanted birds will stay away from your artificial nesting place.
Before installing any cavity plugs, make sure that there are no birds nesting inside. If there is, you’ll have to remove it yourself or commission a wildlife remover to do it for you.
8. Install nettings
One of the efficient on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter is to install nettings. You just have to cover the slope of the eaves and staple the edges carefully so the birds won’t go past the barrier. If you think it ruins your house’s look, just endure the breeding season and wait until the birds migrate.
Don’t use just any typical net. A piece like Bird-X Heavy Duty Netting is tailored against birds and other large critters who keep on invading gardens and flower beds. You can install the net in the same conventional fashion. It can be cut in the size you need without unraveling. It’s a see-through mesh so it doesn’t ruin the aesthetic aspect of your property.
The Bird-X netting is UV-resistant and can withstand even the harshest weathers. This mesh is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and even has a cooling effect from the inside in case you have a vent that will get covered. Again, seal it well or the other side of the net will become a perfect nesting place.
9. Play predator sounds
If the pesky sparrows and starlings are giving you a hard time, you can blast them with ultrasonic or predator sounds. You don’t necessarily have to turn on a blaring speaker as a way on how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter. Just use a usual cassette player and play threatening sounds with that of an owl and hawk. You can also include distress calls from the same bird species to shake their guts of building a nest on your eaves.
You can try the Bird-Xpeller Pro player that emits the sounds birds like sparrows and starling find frightening. Make sure to start using this before the nest is established or it will be useless. Nesting birds tend to be braver when they have young ones to take care of. They would likely ignore the sound just to tend to their offspring.
The manufacturers recommend that you use this consistently for three weeks to observe solid results. Birds have to be exposed into it repeatedly. You can also pair it with a loud banging so the birds will find your place unsuitable for nesting.
Knowing how to stop birds from nesting in the gutter isn’t a hard task. You just have to know what these birds dislike and put them on your eaves. That way, they’ll be forced to seek another spot for shelter.
