While the sound of birds chirping can be a pleasant sign of the arrival of warmer weather, it can be disconcerting if you hear it coming from your chimney. Unfortunately, birds can mistake a chimney for a tree when looking for a nesting spot. This is especially true if trees have been cut down for construction and development purposes. You may think that you can have the birds removed from your chimney. However, certain species of birds, including chimney swifts, are protected under federal law in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it illegal to move these birds and their nests from their nesting locations. Ashbusters would like to share with you some information about chimney swifts and how we can help you prevent these birds from entering your chimney.
What are chimney swifts?
The are birds with dark grayish brown cigar-shaped bodies. They also have a distinctive high-pitched chirping. Chimney swifts tend to arrive in the Nashville area in the spring and will remain here until they go back to their South American winter homes in the fall. As you can tell from their name, these birds like to nest inside masonry chimneys when they cannot find hollow trees.
What do I do if a family of chimney swifts is living inside my chimney?
According to the Chimney Swift Conservation Association, it can be beneficial to share your chimney with these birds. This is because a family of chimney swifts can eat almost 12,000 flying insects, including mosquitoes, termites, and gnats, a day! They can be quite noisy, however, especially when the baby birds are being fed. After about two weeks, that will subside, and you may not notice them as much. After the birds have left in the fall, you can schedule an appointment for a professional chimney sweeping. We will remove every bit of the nesting left behind. It will not become a fire hazard as the sticks and straw used as nesting materials is very flammable.
How can I prevent chimney swifts from nesting in my chimney in the future?
Chimney swifts tend to return to the same nesting spots each spring. So, if you do not want them to come back again, you will need to have a chimney cap professionally installed. Ashbusters has a wide variety of chimney caps. Our staff can help you pick out the best cap with mesh metal sides. It will keep those birds (as well as squirrels, raccoons, and other critters) from being able to get inside your chimney. Our certified and trained chimney technicians can install the cap to give your chimney the best possible protection.
Is your chimney uncapped? Prevent bird and wild animal invasions of your chimney by contacting us at Ashbusters. Our professionals can tell you more about our chimney cap sales and professional installation services.