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Will this hurt them? (1 Viewer)

Question

New member
All:

I don't know very much about birds and I have a question that I'm sure someone here can answer for me. A family of birds have set up shop on top of my back patio light and had children there. I'd like to know if anyone can tell from the picture if they are old enough for me to start using the light again. I'd like to be able to use my porch light again but don't want to hurt them. Below are links to two pictures of the baby birds in a Flickr account. I couldn't get a shot of the parents because they bail too quickly when I approach.

One other question: What type of birds are these anyway? I live in Austin, Texas if that’s helpful in narrowing it down.

Thanks in advance for all of your help with this and here are the pics of the birds:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/scofield/710276560/in/set-72157600631708398/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scofield/710276604/in/set-72157600631708398/
 
Hello there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum :t:

I'm thinking Barn Swallows and you probably have a couple more weeks of being very patient and leaving them alone ;) Good for you in keeping the lights down as much as possible :t:
 
yes, look like very young barn swallows, another few weeks at most and they'll have fledged. Don't think the light will be in use while they're there, but what an exchange! Would love to have these nesting by my door.
 
One other thing as far as safety. There was just a news article on a few days ago where a front porch caught fire due to a nest in immediate proximity of the light fixture so you will be doing both of yourselves a favor by keeping it off until they fledge.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the replies. I'll continue not using the light until they're gone and I guess in the interest of safety I should probably scrape it off or replace the light fixture before hitting the switch. Will that displace the birds or do they not use the nest at all once they're old enough to fly around?

Other than causing me to have to drag a lamp out there when I'm having a barbeque, I really like having them around. There's another one in a corner on my front porch that also has baby ones in it right now. It's cool watching their heads pop up when the mother stops by with food.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'll continue not using the light until they're gone and I guess in the interest of safety I should probably scrape it off or replace the light fixture before hitting the switch. Will that displace the birds or do they not use the nest at all once they're old enough to fly around?

Other than causing me to have to drag a lamp out there when I'm having a barbeque, I really like having them around. There's another one in a corner on my front porch that also has baby ones in it right now. It's cool watching their heads pop up when the mother stops by with food.

Congratulations, Question, on your Barn Swallows!!! I´d love to have them nest in my porch, I´d be to turn off all the lights in the house for a few weeks to encourage them! Seriously though, it´s very good of you to keep the light off, many people would look on the Swallows as a nuisance and get rid of the nest instead. More people like you, that´s what the birds need!! Best Wishes and Happy Birding, Éanna
 
Hi Question, i'd just like to re-iterate what everyone else has said and say well done for giving them a chance. I'd love to have them nesting on my doorstep (so to speak).
 
My mate had a pair of Blackbirds nest on his security light under his car port for 4 years. The light was less than 6 feet from his main door which is used all the time. The security light came on whenever anyone approached the door.
Each year the birds successsully fledged young. He doesn't know a lot about birds and used to say hello to them and talk to them when he went in and out.
It didn't seem to make a lot of difference.
Similarly this year a pair of Collared Doves nested on the back of a large satellite dish at my local. The nest was about four feet from the steps leading to the beer garden and was just above eye level. During the recent warm spell in May lots of people were walking past and stopping to watch. I did ask the landlord to stop people going out this way because I didn't think the birds would be successful with so much traffic, but nobody took any notice of me.
Two chicks fledged though and we watched them from being eggs to the day they left the nest.
 
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