Sparrows in loft - what can I do - can I move them?

[menousername]

Hi all

Looking for advice from any knowledgeable bird people please

For a few years have had issues with birds returning approx April - Sept, getting into the loft and nesting / breeding. Not quite sure what they are - House Martins?.

They nest above where the boiler is I assume due to the heat- problem is we get an awful smell come through that cupboard due to pipes going via the loft so there must be enough of a gap to allow the smell to waft through

Last year I put chicken wire in the eaves from inside the loft not sure I did a great job. Was due to get Soffits & Fascias done this month before they returned. However, I caught sight of a sparrow getting in via the vent gap between the bricks and the eaves.

Not sure if its getting fully into the loft or just the eaves. Risks putting the soffits & fascias back now.

Assuming its early enough that they have not hatched any young ones, is it allowable to move them on? Would / could I proceed with the work assuming the disruption will move them on?

Thoughts appreciated

[Byker28i]

We have sparrow nesting in 3 corners - always have. Not had a problem, but this year we have a few feathers in one corner as they've cleaned out the nest. I don't mind them, sparrows are in decline. Most of the neighbours have them, the big issue is the crows nosing around the gaps.

I'm guessing of you disturb them enough they'll feel it's not a safe nesting area?

[bigpriest]

Sparrows are OK to move, they are permanent UK residents and sometimes have 3-4 broods per year usually between April-August.
Standby for the "trap them, drown them, shoot them, use explosives brigade..."

[Simpo Two]

Probably sparrows; house martin nests look like this and are outside: https://www.nhbs.com/house-martin-nests House martins are a protected species and look quite different from sparrows.

I've had sparrows in the eaves and they do no harm, they just wake me up every morning!

[menousername]

Thanks all

I did think it was House Martins or something similar returning each April. Somehow I had not noticed the Sparrows being able to get in.

Problem is they / something are potentially fully into the loft not just the eaves and obviously the smell and health risk mean it needs addressing.

Am looking into it with a couple of local professions but wondering what I can do by way of blocking the access into the loft whilst not disturbing them until season is over

[QJumper]

Accroding to this you can't move a nest while the birds are buidling or using it:

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife...

[Nightmare]

Gotta say I’d be absolutely amazed if anything sparrows do could cause an unpleasant smell - they’re absolutely tiny. We’ve had them in the loft forever and aside from the constant and overly loud arguing they do, there’s no way you’d know they’re there. I can get to pretty much where they nest from inside my loft and there is absolutely zero smell of any sort that I can detect (I’ve just checked)

Are you sure they are the problem? Also they don’t tend to leave, so not something you’d notice specifically coming in at any time of year

[menousername]

Thats a good point

Originally I thought whatever it is is a migrating bird. Assuming the smell is something to do with the hatching as it comes about the same time each year for about 3 or 4 months

Its just as I saw a sparrow going into the eaves for the first time recently

May I ask- where abouts in your loft do they like to nest?

I got up there and had a very good look around and installed some motion detecting cameras that send an alert when they detect movement. Been nothing at all which suggests that at most the sparrows are perching on the top of the bricks in the eaves and not getting inside - seems the chicken wire I put in last year is holding

[Yertis]

We’ve got sparrows and starlings in our eaves; I love having them there, more the merrier. Why would you not want them? (pretty sure the they don’t make smells - that sounds strange.)

[Nightmare]

menousername said:

Thats a good point

Originally I thought whatever it is is a migrating bird. Assuming the smell is something to do with the hatching as it comes about the same time each year for about 3 or 4 months

Its just as I saw a sparrow going into the eaves for the first time recently

May I ask- where abouts in your loft do they like to nest?

I got up there and had a very good look around and installed some motion detecting cameras that send an alert when they detect movement. Been nothing at all which suggests that at most the sparrows are perching on the top of the bricks in the eaves and not getting inside - seems the chicken wire I put in last year is holding

Yes it’s literally just inside the eaves - one bricks worth in. Unlike the starlings they never seem to encroach more than that (I had baby starlings fledge through my loft, down the ladder and out the bathroom window a few years ago. Was totally awesome.

[Silvanus]

bigpriest said:

Sparrows are OK to move, they are permanent UK residents and sometimes have 3-4 broods per year usually between April-August.
Standby for the "trap them, drown them, shoot them, use explosives brigade..."

Depends what you mean by 'move'. If you are referring to nesting birds (building or sitting), they cannot be moved or disturbed under at all, Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

[bigpriest]

Silvanus said:

bigpriest said:

Sparrows are OK to move, they are permanent UK residents and sometimes have 3-4 broods per year usually between April-August.
Standby for the "trap them, drown them, shoot them, use explosives brigade..."

Depends what you mean by 'move'. If you are referring to nesting birds (building or sitting), they cannot be moved or disturbed under at all, Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

I was thinking of a previous time when a couple of sparrows were in my loft but there was no sign of a nest. They looked a bit confused so I caught and released them.

Practically speaking, if (big if) a sparrow nest was made inside a loft and was causing issues with smell, I'd carefully remove it and let them get on with finding a more suitable location. I fully accept I may be sentenced to six months in prison but I'd take the chance. But that's because where I live there are hundreds of sparrows and an abandoned nest is a pretty common thing throughout the year.