Preventing Birds From Making Nests in Potted Plants and Baskets

sms

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Jun 17, 2013, 2:15:06 PM6/17/13

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We have a potted plant by our front door as well as a wicker basket
where we store some gardening gloves, behind the little hedge in this
picture: <http://oi41.tinypic.com/4idiy0.jpg>.

This year we've had three different birds make nests, two in a potted
plant one in the wicker basket. It's kind of a pain when they do this
because we can't get too near them to get stuff.

Besides relocating the plant and basket is there anything we can do to
discourage them from nesting here?

I did put up a sign <http://oi40.tinypic.com/rw6nax.jpg> but I'm not
sure how effective it will be. Clearly the birds are tweeting each other
about the good location for a nest.

notbob

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Jun 17, 2013, 2:27:26 PM6/17/13

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On 2013-06-17, sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

> Besides relocating the plant and basket is there anything we can do to
> discourage them from nesting here?

.410 gauge

Oren

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Jun 17, 2013, 2:32:50 PM6/17/13

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On Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:15:06 -0700, sms <scharf...@geemail.com>
wrote:

>I did put up a sign <http://oi40.tinypic.com/rw6nax.jpg> but I'm not
>sure how effective it will be. Clearly the birds are tweeting each other
>about the good location for a nest.

The sign needs to be bi-lingual.

Paul Drahn

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Jun 17, 2013, 2:42:31 PM6/17/13

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You can't do anything to harass the birds, or destroy the nests unless
the birds are house sparrows, aka English sparrows, or starlings, or
more recently Eurasian collard doves. All others are protected by
federal law and probably state law.

Now that you have alerted the NSA with your posting, they will be
monitoring your home to see what type of bird terrorist you are.

I put up plastic streamers to keep the house finches from nesting in the
patio roof framing. Also stuffed bubble wrap in the locations where they
might nest.

Paul

sms

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Jun 17, 2013, 3:06:33 PM6/17/13

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On 6/17/2013 11:42 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:

> You can't do anything to harass the birds, or destroy the nests unless
> the birds are house sparrows, aka English sparrows, or starlings, or
> more recently Eurasian collard doves. All others are protected by
> federal law and probably state law.

This is true, but I don't think that putting up a sign, or doing things
to discourage nests from being built in the first place, is illegal.

It's a bad place for nests because a cat could easily get to the nests.
They used to build nests on the cross beam that supports the roof over
the porch area which was a better place because it would have been
difficult for a cat to get up there.

> I put up plastic streamers to keep the house finches from nesting in the
> patio roof framing. Also stuffed bubble wrap in the locations where they
> might nest.

The streamers are a good idea. I was thinking about pinwheels.

Paul Drahn

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Jun 17, 2013, 4:57:39 PM6/17/13

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The pinwheels also make noise, so might be a good deterrent.

Paul

IGot2P

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Jun 17, 2013, 6:01:41 PM6/17/13

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You need to use fowl language in the sign.

Red Green

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Jun 17, 2013, 6:22:30 PM6/17/13

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IGot2P <IGo...@crsales.com> wrote in news:kpo106$tof$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

Clever :-)

hrho...@sbcglobal.net

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Jun 19, 2013, 10:57:23 PM6/19/13

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On Jun 17, 5:22 pm, Red Green <postmas...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> IGot2P <IGo...@crsales.com> wrote innews:kpo106$tof$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

> Clever :-)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Definitely good for a couple of chuckles on my part. How about
providing attractive alternate housing nearby??