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Do House martins return to the same nest each year?
House martins will return from their African wintering grounds to the same nesting sites each year. They can reuse their old nests, saving them about ten day’s work collecting mud.
When can I remove a house martin nest?
It is illegal to damage or destroy active nests so, during redecoration, these nests must be left intact or the work delayed until the autumn. If necessary, when the birds have left in September/October and it is clear that these nests are no longer in use, they can be removed.
How long does it take for a house Martin to build a nest?
House Martins are semi-colonial, with some pairs breeding on their own while others breed in large colonies of more than 30 nests. A new nest may take up to 10 days to build, though birds will often repair and re-use old nests.
How do you attract House Martins to the nest?
House martins only eat insects they catch on the wing, so you cannot attract them by putting food out for them in the same way as you would attract other birds. But, because their nests are made almost solely from mud, a nice muddy pool or puddle may attract them to build near you, especially during a dry spell.
Where do house martins sleep at night?
When they have a nest, house martins sleep in it, but it’s still not known whether they sleep on the wing for the rest of the year. Up to 11 house martins have been found to sleep in a single nest – both adult birds and their first and second brood of young. Now that’s cosy…
Are house martins lucky?
Traditionally House Martins nesting on your house were considered to be a lucky mascot so if you are tempted to tear down their nests you may have to face the consequences. In any case to do so would be unlawful as their nests are protected by law as is the nest of any wild bird during the breeding season.
How do you get rid of house martin nests?
The simplest way to overcome this is to fix a shelf about 250 mm wide about two metres below the nest to catch droppings. Use key-hole brackets so you can remove the shelf for cleaning. House martins may have a number of parasites such as feather mites or flat flies, in most cases harmless to them.
Which direction should a house martin nest face?
The nest should be positioned beneath the eaves of the building at a minimum height of 2m. House martins often prefer to nest on east or north facing walls but walls in any direction may be used.
What direction should martin house face?
The good news is that purple martins aren’t picky when it comes to direction; north, south, east, and west are all fine, as long as it’s consistent.
When do house martins come out of the nest?
The breeding season can last longer than many other species, and a small number of House Martins may still have young in the nest in September or even October. House Martins are thought to winter in southern and western Africa south of the Sahara.
Where do house martins go in the winter?
House martins spend the winter months in Africa, though we still don’t know exactly where our UK birds go. It used to be thought that house martins and swallows hibernated during the winter in the mud at the bottom of ponds. A house martin nest is made up of around 1000 lumps of clay and weighs about 500g.
When is the best time to get rid of house martins?
The best time to act is during the Autumn and Winter months during the birds migration period. House Martins and some similar species are in decline so if possible we suggest leaving a small area clear where they can build their nest without it being an inconvenience. Why use bird proofing to stop House Martins from nesting?
When does a house martin start to breed?
They are colonial nesters, with an average group size of four to five nests, although large colonies with groups of tens or even hundreds of nests are sometimes reported. Town colonies tend to be smaller than countryside ones. The breeding season runs from May to August when insects are abundant, but some chicks are still in the nest in September.