Is moving a bird's nest illegal?

down2earth

down2earth

Member
I have a small patio in the front of my house with two pillars covered by the roof. A small (pregnant female?) bird has been building a nest on the top of a pillar. Normally I wouldn't mind sharing a piece of my real estate but this bird poops everywhere. My walks are covered in bird poop. Disgusting. The nest looks completed....no eggs yet. I mentioned to someone that I plan to move the nest to a tree on my property. I was told, "You can't. It's illegal." What??????
I get it. This bird is instinctually programmed to reproduce. I remember when I was programmed to reproduce (ha). But I didn't poop all over the sidewalks. I'm moving the nest.
 

Really? And the bird won't push the mothball out? I'm headed to the store right now. Thanks!
 

I would never move one, if an animal has found what they deem as a safe place for their young who I am I to question that. Now, there are exceptions, rats, mice or snakes, I don't welcome. I have have had oppusums give birth under my deck and shed. Their Mom's are good at keeping the babies safe from my dogs.
 
Blessed said:
I would never move one, if an animal has found what they deem as a safe place for their young who I am I to question that. Now, there are exceptions, rats, mice or snakes, I don't welcome. I have have had oppusums give birth under my deck and shed. Their Mom's are good at keeping the babies safe from my dogs.
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We had a pair of black birds nest in one of our window boxes one year. It must have been winter because I remember one evening when we had a storm and I thought they would be blown away but, there they were, still sitting in the nest protecting the eggs.
 
Trish said:
In the UK, you cannot remove an active nest. Years ago, we had one above the bathroom window and the mess from it was horrendous. We had to wait until the nest had been vacated until we could get it removed and cleaned up.
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Active nest is the key.

Here in the US, if it's an endangered species, you cannot disturb the nest. Farmers even lift up their plows to avoid ground nests of certain birds.
 
down2earth said:
Normally I wouldn't mind sharing a piece of my real estate but this bird poops everywhere. My walks are covered in bird poop. Disgusting. The nest looks completed....no eggs yet. I mentioned to someone that I plan to move the nest to a tree on my property. I was told, "You can't. It's illegal." What?????? I get it. This bird is instinctually programmed to reproduce. I remember when I was programmed to reproduce (ha). But I didn't poop all over the sidewalks. I'm moving the nest.
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Lol..... :D
 
Blessed said:
I would never move one, if an animal has found what they deem as a safe place for their young who I am I to question that. Now, there are exceptions, rats, mice or snakes, I don't welcome. I have have had oppusums give birth under my deck and shed. Their Mom's are good at keeping the babies safe from my dogs.
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The way I see it, for me, we share this world with many things. If they are not causing a health hazard, then leave things be.
 
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Trish said:
In the UK, you cannot remove an active nest. Years ago, we had one above the bathroom window and the mess from it was horrendous. We had to wait until the nest had been vacated until we could get it removed and cleaned up.
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'tis true... and even in my garden where I have a lot of trees and nesting birds, I can't trim branches back if the birds are getting prepared to nest because they will abandon the nest.. . I know I could do it if I wished, but it's ingrained in me not to disturb them ..

However bird poop is a horrible thing. There are trees out front lining my road, and cars parked under them ( and there's nowhere else to park) get covered in Bird shit within a very short time..
 
We have a very small outdoor patio. One year a mother bird set up her nest there. We couldn’t sit outside for a good part of the summer. If I’d seen it when she’d started, I would have removed it. There are no lack of other spots.
 
When a hummingbird built a nest under our carport next to our side entrance, we didn't dare to use that door. But we had to use our cars. Then we realized that the bird usually doesn't fly away with us moving around. So, now we are back to a normal life and
anxiously awaiting the babies to arrive. Luckily, hummingbirds aren't messy. PS, even if we wanted to move the nest, we couldn't
because it's glued onto the electric cable for the Christmas lights. Aren't we lucky not having removed it?
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down2earth said:
I have a small patio in the front of my house with two pillars covered by the roof. A small (pregnant female?) bird has been building a nest on the top of a pillar. Normally I wouldn't mind sharing a piece of my real estate but this bird poops everywhere. My walks are covered in bird poop. Disgusting. The nest looks completed....no eggs yet. I mentioned to someone that I plan to move the nest to a tree on my property. I was told, "You can't. It's illegal." What??????
I get it. This bird is instinctually programmed to reproduce. I remember when I was programmed to reproduce (ha). But I didn't poop all over the sidewalks. I'm moving the nest.
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Your avatar indicates that you are Australian. It could be illegal depending on the species. Do you know whether this bird is a common or introduced species?

Try to photgraph it, and I suggest a phone call to WIRES or your local council might help but if it is a small bird I suggest it might be something rather special. Hose your walkways until the chicks are fledged, then destroy the nest.
 
Trish said:
In the UK, you cannot remove an active nest. Years ago, we had one above the bathroom window and the mess from it was horrendous. We had to wait until the nest had been vacated until we could get it removed and cleaned up.
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A Eucalyptus tree which was about 60ft. tall has been recently cut down in the school yard next to my home. I was glad to see it go, in high winds it looked like it could easily topple. The only thing that made me sad was when the arborists were lowered into the tree many little birds were flying out looking rather distressed, I'm sure there were nests in it.
 
Murrmurr said:
Active nest is the key.
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It is not a nest until complete!! I never let iy finish..It is a mess!!
Screenshot-2023-05-13-4-26-10-AM.png
 
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