Swallow Control: How To Get Rid of Swallows

This page is an expert guide on removing swallows from your property using the products and methods our experienced pest control specialists suggested. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee you will eliminate nesting birds in your home.

Swallows are fascinating birds to observe as they fly around and nest, but not so much when they do so in your home. These migratory birds can quickly become irritating because of their nesting and roosting habits.

Swallows come from far and wide every spring and can appear in large numbers. Once they have found a place they enjoy, they will flood the area with their population. In recent years, swallows have become an increasingly irritating problem, especially in cities where They hang around buildings and places of business in large swarms.

If you have been frustrated by a swallow invasion on your property, our DIY treatment guide will show you how to safely and humanely get rid of it using expert advice and professional products. 

Identification

Before proceeding with a treatment program, you must be sure you are dealing with swallows, not other birds. It helps to know what swallows look like to avoid misidentification, which can waste time and money in utilizing the wrong treatment methods.

• The swallow is a small bird between 4 and 8 inches long. It is part of the Hirundinidae family of birds, with 90 species of swallows.
• Swallows come in various colors, from brown, black, and gray to more colorful varieties, like blue, red, orange, and green.
• They have short, pointed beaks and mouths that can open wide.
• Swallows have long, pointed wings, and birds with distinguishing tails appear forked.
• Another distinguishing characteristic that can help you identify swallows is their nesting habit of gathering mud and manure and placing it on the sides of homes, walls, and eaves to create a mud nest.

Use the description and image above to help you identify swallows on your property. Contact us if you are having trouble; we will help you identify the problem.

Inspection

Once you have properly identified swallows, you will need to inspect the area where they have been active to see how severe of an invasion you have.  

Where to Inspect

Inspect the areas where you see active birds. As mentioned, swallows can be seen roosting on roofs, ledges, air vents, and other areas. Birds prefer nesting in a safe, cozy area where they won't be affected by rain, other elements, or any other animal activity.

What to Look For

Look for active swallows or evidence of their activity, which can be droppings or formations of mud nests. Often, they will be hard to miss because they like to travel and nest in large flocks.

While swallows are relatively harmless, they can be quite frustrating near homes or places of business because wherever swallows are plentiful, there will be many droppings to be expected. These excessive amounts of droppings can create an unsightly mess around the home and make for dangerous walking conditions due to the potential of slipping and falling from the droppings. Even worse is that swallows and their droppings can potentially transmit deadly diseases.

Treatment

Once you have found the bird's nest and the areas where the bird or birds are congregating, you can begin to apply treatment products. Depending on where you live, laws may protect birds from harm, so you can't harm these birds or risk being fined a hefty sum.

To successfully remove birds from the area, you must conduct some environmental modifications, then apply Detour repellent and Bird Flite Bird Control Spikes to keep birds from re-establishing themselves near your home.

Before treatment, wear personal protective equipment, such as gloves and long-sleeved clothing.

Step 1: Sanitize and Discard Nests

If the swallow's bird nest has been discovered and is easy to access, you should remove it to tell the swallows they aren't welcome. It is important, though, to first check the nest to see if any eggs or baby chicks are in the nest. Clean the area of nests and sanitize the areas where they have been active as much as possible.

For instance, if swallows have created mud nests around your home's shingles, take your water hose or a power sprayer and spray the mud nests away. If there are droppings, spray those away as well. It would be best if you did this to make birds find your home unattractive.

Step 2: Apply Detour Bird Repellent

Once you have cleared away droppings and nests, use Detour Sealent in the area where the nest was made to deter birds from resettling in the area and remaking a nest. Detour is an all-weather formula that contains a hot pepper extract, so not only will it be unpleasant because of its stickiness, but the hot pepper formula will also be offputting to the birds.

Detour is easy to use, and the container works much like caulk. Using a caulking gun, apply sealant along points on entry, ledges, and other surfaces where birds have nests.

Step 3: Apply Bird Flite Bird Control Spikes

To prevent swallows from getting comfortable and making another nest in the area, use Bird Flite Bird Control Spikes in the areas where they have been active. These spikes are made with stainless steel and are blunted, so they prevent injury to birds. It's a great humane option to keep birds away. 

Clean the surface where you will choose to place the spikes, such as the eave of your home, a ledge, or another area. Then, simply glue the spike strip down, and it will be ready to ward off the swallows. 

Prevention

To prevent birds from nesting in your home in the future, you will need to lessen the insect population in the area. Since birds mainly eat bugs, if you spray an insecticide concentrate like Supreme IT around your home and yard, they will have less to eat.

Aside from this, applying Detour and the Bird Spikes is enough of an exclusion measure to make your home unappealing to birds looking for a place to nest.

Key Takeaways

What are Swallows?

• Swallows are known to nest on or around homes and appear in large numbers once Spring arrives in some parts of the country.

How to Get Rid of Swallows

• Sanitize your home to remove bird nests and droppings, which will message the swallows that they shouldn't nest here. 
• Use Detour Sealant and Bird Flite Bird Spikes to deter swallows from making new nests on your property.

Preventing Swallow Reinfestation

• Prevent future invasions of swallows by eliminating their food source of insects with Supreme IT Insecticide.