What Should I Do If I Find a Nest Where It Doesn鈥檛 Belong?
Sometimes birds nest too close to home. Experts share what to do if you find birds raising young on your house or building.
Some birds are quite comfortable building their homes right next to ours. It鈥檚 not uncommon to see Mourning Doves in an air-conditioning vent, Eastern Phoebes on a windowsill, American Robins in a wreath, or House Finches in flowerpots.
If you find one, what should you do about it?
Leave It Be
If you find a surprise nest, leave it be. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not supposed to mess with it,鈥 says avian ecologist Caren Cooper from North Carolina State University. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, a federal law, protects roughly 1,100 native bird species, including eggs and nests. The list includes wrens, finches, phoebes, hummingbirds, doves, killdeer, and robins鈥攁ll species that often nest around homes.
Invasive species, such as House Sparrows and European Starlings, are exempt from the law. But you should still let them be, says biologist Robyn Bailey from , a community nest-monitoring program run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. While you could legally remove their nests, it鈥檚 difficult to distinguish a sparrow鈥檚 nest from a warbler鈥檚 if you are not an expert. 鈥淭hey can look very similar,鈥 Bailey says, and it鈥檚 better to be safe than sorry.
Protect the Area
Be patient, Cooper says; young fledge about a month after egg laying. During this time, hang a warning sign near the nest to warn passersby of its presence. Raising chicks takes a lot of energy, so help birds by protecting them from disturbances. Keep cats indoors, and avoid visiting the nest too frequently for photos or videos. 鈥淭hat Instagram feed is not as important as that nest being safe and protected from predators,鈥 Bailey says. Nest raiders, such as raccoons and crows, can observe your movements to discover nests.
Don鈥檛 worry about the mess鈥攎ost bird species are very clean. Chicks poop into a diaper-like fecal sac that parents carry and dispose of far from the nest. But if you have to clean up any fecal matter or feather dust, Cooper suggests wearing a mask and thoroughly washing your hands with soap.
Call an Expert
Sometimes, birds will build their nest in an unsafe place鈥攆or example, in a car tailpipe or gravel driveway. In such extreme cases, don鈥檛 try to remove it yourself. Instead, call a wildlife rehabilitator to relocate it, Bailey says. 鈥淥ften those nests are so delicate and fragile that you鈥檙e going to either damage the nest or potentially any eggs or young in it.鈥
However if a chick has fallen out of its nest, it鈥檚 safe to put it back without worrying about the parents rejecting it. 鈥淭he parents aren鈥檛 all that tuned into smells,鈥 Cooper says.
Hang Nest Boxes
Birds love to nest in dark crannies. They鈥檒l happily set up house in any pocket-like nook, even a little-used baby stroller or bike helmet. To encourage better choices, hang nest boxes and nest shelves to lure birds to safer areas.
Enjoy the View
If you are excited about a nest around your house, consider helping scientists study nesting behaviors by joining programs like NestWatch. You could install a nest camera to watch, from a distance, all the drama that unfolds. 鈥淚f you enjoy birds,鈥 Cooper says, 鈥渋t鈥檚 the best close-up way to do so.鈥 And, of course, with binoculars you can while away the hours watching parents bring up chicks from a distance.
This story originally ran in the Spring 2023 issue. To receive our print magazine, become a member by .