Deterring robins from nesting

[Susie]

Every year, we spend weeks in the spring endlessly clearing robin nests from a specific light.  There are other places they also nest on/near our house that I don't mind, e.g., on a particular downspout bend, but I don't like them nesting on this light.  It's immediately outside the kitchen slider that we use all the time to take our dogs out, they drop detritus, the younger dog constantly tries to eat it, etc. etc.  The nests also involve a lot of mud that gets all over the house and doesn't wash away with rain because of the awning.  Birds under the awning means bird poop on the deck, right where it gets tracked inside when we walk the dogs... Overall, 0/10, do not recommend.

We're currently clearing new nest construction several times a day.  H said he read that vinegar discourages them, but we sprayed that around to no avail.  I cleared two separate nest starts this morning before I even left for work.  We tried putting a paper bag over the light, but it blew off.  

The spot is particularly well sheltered by the awning over it, and therefore probably very appealing to the robins.  What else can I do (less repetitively) to encourage them to settle elsewhere?  We have lots of trees, shrubs, etc. that they are welcome to!

[tacokick]

Our neighbor had this issue and the only thing that helped was putting up wind chimes in that area.

[mrsGreeko]

I’m a lurker on this board, but can you attach bird deterrent spikes where they are putting the nest and around it?

[nicolewi]

One time I put a toy dinosaur with a scary face in a hanging basket that I didn't want birds to nest in. It worked pretty well, but you may have to change it out or move it to keep it working. I used a dilophosaurus with a big frill around its face.

[dr.girlfriend]

Apr 18, 2024 15:29:49 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

One time I put a toy dinosaur with a scary face in a hanging basket that I didn't want birds to nest in. It worked pretty well, but you may have to change it out or move it to keep it working. I used a dilophosaurus with a big frill around its face.

They make owl bobbleheads for this too.

[lessel]

A dilophosaurus toy is a response that could only come from a message board full of moms. Five star recommendation!

I would have thought the bird spike things. Or maybe like balling up some foil on top of the light fixture and taping it to the wall so it doesn't blow away? Attractive rec, I know. But man, that does look like a tempting spot for a nest!

[lavenderblue]

I'd probably get bird spikes like this a.co/d/7wdm0RK that you could kind of wrap around/lay across the top of the light. It might not look pretty, but it's better than bird mess.

[tacoflavoredkisses]

Apr 19, 2024 9:54:39 GMT -5 lavenderblue said:

I'd probably get bird spikes like this a.co/d/7wdm0RK that you could kind of wrap around/lay across the top of the light. It might not look pretty, but it's better than bird mess.

We bought those for the area under our raised deck and the robins still built a nest on top of them🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[k3am]

MIL's suggestions... I googled examples, since she uses horrible descriptions:

"sparkle hologram strips"  aka scare strips. 



"Those spinny things you bought us from Mexico"..  (AKA the things that scared off her birds and she was pissed about because watching them was her hobby)

[Susie]

Hands down, dinosaur toy is my favorite option.  Lol.

Miraculously, in the past couple days the robins finally seem to have gotten the message on their own.  But I may need to raid my kids' toy box so I'm ready if they come back!  

[sparty04]

DH puts rubber ducks in the areas underneath our deck that they typically build. They avoid them but still managed to find a new place this year