Sparrows nest under the roof: how can you drive them away gently?

Sparrows are fascinating birds that many people enjoy. But the animals can also be quite annoying - especially when they nest directly under the roof. Getting rid of them is not that easy, however. Under no circumstances should you just destroy the nest like that. Fortunately, there are alternatives. The house sparrow can be gently driven away with a little patience and sophistication.

Problem situation

Passer domesticus, the common house sparrow, is in its population today acutely endangered. He's already on a warning list for endangered species. So you should be happy about every nesting pair of sparrows. The only problem is that the animals, as a typical cultural sequence, settle near humans and raise their offspring. With a certain preference, they use roof overhangs, wall openings or even cavities in an outer wall. In addition, because a pair of sparrows rarely comes alone, but usually forms a whole colony quickly, the birds can easily become an annoying nuisance. Your droppings can also cause significant damage.

prevention

Sparrows are niche and cave breeders. As far as the location for their nest is concerned, they show enormous flexibility. For this, however, they prefer to use protected cavities - especially if they are also located directly under a protective roof overhang. It is therefore wise to close all existing openings in a house wall. Loose roof tiles should also be reattached. The point is simply to make your own house as uninviting as possible for the birds. That is always better than having to drive them away later.

Remove nest?

If it does happen that sparrows nest under the eaves or in a cavity, you could of course get the idea of ​​simply removing the nest or nests. Of that, however strongly discouraged. Since sparrows are on the pre-warning list for threatened species, they enjoy an increased level all over Europe protection. Without permit a sparrow's nest must not be easily removed. The responsible authority is usually the lower nature conservation authority of the city or the district. You should definitely get in touch with her if a nest is to be removed. This is basically possible if

• the infestation with sparrows is very large,
• Danger from faeces for children, old and sick people threatens,
• or significant damage to the building is to be expected.

The best thing to do is to explain the facts to the authorities by phone or in writing. However, the procedure differs depending on the federal state. Approval can often also be given orally. If one fails to report and is discovered, there is a threat Fines. In Bavaria, for example, you have to pay 75 euros for each sparrow's nest removed. Nests that contain eggs or already young animals must not be removed or destroyed.

Disgust

Fortunately, sparrows can also be driven away relatively gently. However, one should be aware that none of the possible methods offers one hundred percent protection. If they work, then only for a limited time. It is therefore advisable to use different methods alternately.

reflective hangers

Reflective hangers and bird ribbons are a very widespread and particularly cheap method of repelling sparrows. They work in a similar way to a greyhound and are placed wherever sparrows would at least theoretically settle, such as under the roof. What is important is the reflective effect, which irritates and scares off the animals. However, sooner or later every house sparrow will get used to these hangers. That is why they should be moved regularly to avoid this habituation effect.

Dummies

Sparrows too have natural enemies, which they try to avoid. These include, for example, birds of prey or crows. Passer domesticus will definitely avoid contact with them. You can take advantage of this fact and hang special bird dummies on the eaves. These scarecrows of a different kind are available from specialist gardeners. They mostly imitate the silhouettes of birds of prey and scare off sparrows relatively reliably. However, their location has to be changed from time to time.

electric bird repellers

The so-called electric bird repellants are devices that emit certain bird sounds and, above all, screams of fear from birds. The sparrows understand this as a warning and run away. With such a bird repeller, a larger area can also be exposed to sound. However, the effect is highly controversial. In addition, the devices are relatively expensive. It is quite possible that you spend a lot of money and hardly achieve any effect.

coexistence

Basically, it is a positive sign to have the house sparrow in your garden. It shows that a lot of things are still in order. So you could be happy about the animals. Nevertheless, they are often perceived as a real nuisance. Yes, these birds are often annoying and make a lot of dirt. There is also no question that they can cause harm. However, with a little good will, peaceful coexistence with them is also possible. Since their natural habitat is getting smaller and smaller, this also makes an important contribution to species protection.