One of my projects (a house under construction) has been stalled for a few weeks. The lack of activity created the right environment for a bird to plop a nest up in the trusses. I think it has either eggs or babies in there because when I got close, it didn't fly away. I'm no pro on birds, but in my experience, when you get too close to a bird, it leaves. I'm assuming that it stayed to protect whatever is in the nest.
Anyway, what should I do about this? Will the mother abandon the babies if I shoo her away and then move the nest myself? Where should I put it? The drywallers will be starting next week, so it's last call for Tweety.
Suggestions? Hookers and blow? Welcome my new overlords?
FTR, I don't know what kind of bird it is. The nest is about the size of a cereal bowl and the back of the bird is brownish black. Bigger than a sparrow, smaller than a robin.
Also, maybe notable, pigeons have been frequenting the place as well. I know they'll just fly away when the drywalling starts. Just mentioning it in case that fact is useful in determining what kind of bird is in the nest.
If it is necessary, I can go take a picture and post it.
I rather doubt you'll be able to move it successfully. In my experience, mother birds will abandon a nest if it's even so much as touched by a human. You can try locating it to a nearby tree or bush, but don't expect it to work out happily. Kudos for wanting to try though.
I have ran into this before and it can be done but you need a bit of luck because it does not always work. First, you need to find a location that is very close to where the nest is now. It would help to know if the babies have been born yet however I am going to assume they are as most nests have babies in them currently, my tree out front has a doves nest with a couple babies. Before moving the nest put on some clean gloves to mask the human smell. Then move the nest to it's new location as fast as possible and then leave the area immediately. I give it a 50/50 chance of working but I have had success doing this with a robin nest before, good luck.
I've moved lots of nests successfully. Wear gloves and try to move it when the mother is watching. Find a tall bush or tree and try to place the nest somewhere out of direct sunlight.
I guess you will find out if you have baby birdies then. If you do, they grow up in a hurry, depending on the species of bird of course, but usually birth to fly the coop time is 2 weeks or less.
So if you have baby birdies, any other construction you could do in the meantime? to allow the babies to grow up and fly away?
If not, then good luck in moving the nest. And as someone said above, they need shade and protection from the elements, from creatures too.
As much as I'd like to give them the necessary time, this project is already a month behind. In people terms, we're talking thousands. I hate to evict, but if that's the rock, the hard place is explaining why we're more than thousands behind schedule. The 'rain' excuse only goes so far...
So I moved the nest today. I think the babies are screwed. There were three baby robins (apparently they don't really look like robins until they're older). The nest was up on the second floor in the soffit. As soon as I touched the nest, all three of them bailed out and flew straight down. One of them flew into a bush, one of them hid somewhere else and one of them sat on the sidewalk.
I brought the nest to a tree and went inside and watched to see if they'd go to the nest, which they didn't. I eventually figured that either they can't fly upwards or that they considered the nest tainted or something.
I slowly approached the one on the sidewalk and he let me pick him up but he started squirming and chirping which drew the attention of all the adult robins in the vicinity.
They all started chirping at me and basically freaking out.
I put the baby in the nest and he promptly flew down to the lawn and all the robins surrounded him in a protective way.
They basically just sat there after that. The other baby in the bush didn't move and the mother just sat with the baby on the lawn looking scared.
Sorry to hear the results of your efforts. If they were old enough to glide down there might be a slim hope that they could survive lone enough to gain the strength for full flight. Unfortunately a cat will probably find them first. In any case you did your best.
Moving a Bird's Nest
