Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A family of birds has invaded my house through the exhaust vent that connects to the fan in the powder room. They've torn off the screen (see pic), and I can hear them skittering around in the ceiling when I'm in the room. How and when should I get them out of there when it's least traumatic to them? I really don't want to evict them in the winter, when they would freeze to death before finding a new home, but I don't want to wait too long into the spring, as that's when they lay their eggs and the baby birds are born.
We had starlings do that in our dryer exhaust vent. We just kept re-screening the vent. We would pound on the pipe to try to make sure they were all out of the vent before we replaced the cover. They had the pipe so crammed with their nesting materials that my dryer kept overheating. We also have trouble with chimney swifts in our fireplace. DH just got up there last week as we know they are now gone, and put a cap on the chimney. Took away the cats fun, he would get on the roof, sit on the chimney and wait for those birds to come out in the evening and try to catch them.
The exhaust vent surround appears to be chewed. Is it possible that you have squirrels in there and not birds?
If it is birds and you can access the attic, go up there and scare them out. Once you are sure they are gone, fix the screen. They won't freeze to death in the winter. They will find another, more appropriate place to roost. Birds carry mites and other parasites that you probably don't want in your house, even if it is the attic. And roosting birds will attract predators. You don't what that, either!
I've seen the birds fly in and out, so that's why I'm pretty certain it's just birds. And this vent is not near the attic, it connects to the first floor powder room. So they're in the ceiling of the first floor, but under the floor of the upstairs bedroom.
I did some searching online, and evidently it's a fairly common problem. And leorah is right; birds can bring in mites and other unpleasant guests. I need to hire a chimney sweep to clear out the chimney (I get birds nesting in there, too), so I'll get them to clear out the vent while they're here. (Maybe the person who suggested I call Alfred Hitchcock has a point?)
Do you have a bird rescue group in your area that could come and take the birds without hurting them or displacing them at a bad time of year? My cousin actually runs a bird rescue in the Bay area or California and she might know of someone who could help. I'll email her when I get home from work tonight and if I get some good info I'll post it here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Are you SURE it's birds in your attic?
