House Martin's Nests.

[theeggman]

Ever since we had the bungalow built we've had House Martins nesting in the gables (4) and under the eaves (2).
Most years we have nest failure, sometimes at egg stage, others just before the young can fly. One year I erected a platform and replaced the young and some nest material back up in the gable and the parents raised the chicks to flying stage. We assumed that some years there was not enough suitable mud for 'good' construction, too much sand from the puddles in the drive, but there is now a pond and this year there wasn't a shortage of water at the relevant time.
So the reason for this post is, does anybody out there have experience of artificial nests. We've just bought some ceramic nests from the website named after a river (same as but cheaper than RSPB) which will go up as soon as our visitors have gone. Should we prime the nests with moss or something? Any other tips would be very welcome.

Tim

 

[enrico]

I would think there will be some instructions with the nests!!!

 

[theeggman]

Nope, none at all!!
What we are trying avoid is dead, shellshocked, chicks all around the house.
We've beaten the sparrows, RSPB site for info, but still haven't got 100% success with brood rearing hence artificial nests. We are quite happy to share our bit of Devon with the birds and if we can help, subject to finances,we will.
We have Swallows (10+), 2 pairs of Collared Doves and Wood Pidgeons nesting in our disused chicken houses.
Tim.

 

[Luminos]

We have bought artificial nests for swallows, and succeeded in attracting them to build their own nests.
The company is C.J Wildbirdfoods in the UK - trades as Vivara in France:
www.birdfood.co.uk/search.php?srch=house+martin

 

[Hivemaker.]

Is there any kind of feeder you can get to attract swallows

 

[theboynelson]

I would think that they would pad out their own nests within the ceramic ones, but then again, we moved into a house with them already attached 5 years ago and not had a whiff of them.

 

[tonybloke]

Is there any kind of feeder you can get to attract swallows

yep, a five acre pond with muddy banks will suffice

 

[MartinL]

Probably more important is how are the nests "failing"?

Are they crumbling or just not sticking to your (non stick) painted wall?

I would suspect it is the paint on the wall (formulated to stay clean) that is the problem. You could help by giving the birds some sort of foundation to build their nests on.
ie either chip away the paint where they fix the nest to the gable, or position nails / screws, maybe a few split-wood laths. This would enable them to get a firm hold onto the wall ensuring the nests stay in place.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Any other tips would be very welcome.

These two sites might help, one is a discussion about House Martin nests. http://www.green-witch.com/acatalog/Swallow__Swift_and_House_Martin_Nests.html and http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=92488

 

[tkwinston4]

I drive past a house with them on and they are nesting under the artificial nests. Not sure if that is supposed to happen?!

 

[theeggman]

The mode of failure is normally the nest crashing down leaving a band of mud stuck to the roughcast wall. Adhesion to the wall isn't an issue as it's a b*****d to remove the remnants to repaint the wall.