{"id":11924,"date":"2024-07-18T16:50:50","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T16:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=11924"},"modified":"2024-07-18T16:50:50","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T16:50:50","slug":"birds-in-the-chimney-identification-prevention-removal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=11924","title":{"rendered":"Birds in the Chimney | Identification, Prevention, & Removal"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The moment I stepped into the home, the familiar sounds of rustling and chirping from the fireplace confirmed my suspicions. After years in this line of work, I knew we were dealing with chimney swifts before I even laid eyes on the flue. <\/p>\n

These unexpected avian tenants often catch homeowners off guard, but I\u2019ve seen it all before. From finding the birds to removing them<\/a>, I was ready to handle this tricky task and make sure both the people who lived there and their guests who were not paying attention would soon be settled.<\/p>\n

How Do Birds Get in the Chimney?<\/h2>\n

After years of dealing with these feathered invaders, I\u2019ve seen just about every entry method imaginable. Here\u2019s how birds, particularly chimney swifts, typically find their way into your chimney:<\/p>\n

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  1. Open flue: The most common entry point is simply an open chimney flue. Without a cap or cover, your chimney is essentially an open invitation to birds looking for a cozy nesting site.<\/li>\n
  2. Damaged chimney caps: Even if you have a chimney cap, it might be damaged or improperly installed. Birds can exploit small gaps or holes to squeeze their way in.<\/li>\n
  3. Deteriorating masonry: Over time, bricks and mortar can crumble, creating small openings that birds can enlarge and use as entry points.<\/li>\n
  4. Removal of old nests: If previous nests weren\u2019t completely removed, returning birds might use the remnants as a foundation for new nests.<\/li>\n
  5. Attraction to warmth: Chimneys often emit warmth, which can attract birds seeking shelter, especially during cooler months.<\/li>\n
  6. Mistaken for hollow trees: Chimney swifts, in particular, naturally make their bird nest in hollow trees. Your chimney mimics this environment perfectly, making it an attractive alternative in urban areas where such trees are scarce.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Remember, chimney swifts are incredibly agile flyers. They can maneuver through surprisingly small openings, often entering and exiting chimneys at high speeds. This skill, combined with their natural instinct to seek out vertical, cave-like structures, makes your chimney an ideal target.<\/p>\n

    How to Determine What\u2019s Living in Your Chimney<\/h2>\n

    Chimney swifts are harmless, quite helpful to have around (they\u2019re\u00a0natural pest control<\/a>\u00a0agents), and will leave of their own accord. That said, before you decide you\u2019ve become a chimney swift landlord, make sure you\u2019re dealing with swifts and not bats.<\/p>\n

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    1. Go outside at dusk and observe flight patterns. The easiest way to determine whether you\u2019re dealing with bats or chimney swifts is to see whether they\u2019re coming or going at night. Chimney swifts return home in the evenings to sleep in their swift nests, but bats are nocturnal \u2014 if you have bats in your chimney, they\u2019ll be heading out at night to hunt.<\/li>\n
    2. Compare the noise you hear to the volume of flying creatures you see. Chimney swifts are noisy, particularly when they\u2019ve just hatched. If you hear a racket, you have either a small family of swifts or a very large number\u00a0of bats<\/a>. If you don\u2019t see swarms of bats entering or exiting your chimney, you more than likely have chimney swifts.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0indeed have chimney swifts, think twice before you commit to removing your new tenants and\u00a0don\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0remove them yourself. Because the Migratory Bird Treaty Act<\/a> protects chimney swifts, you have two legal options.<\/p>\n

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      1. Wait it out (they are migratory birds and only come to North America during the spring and summer).<\/li>\n
      2. Hire a licensed contractor to safely and legally remove the nest.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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