Q. Birds are starting to build a nest on the air conditioner outside my bedroom window again just like last year. What can I do to discourage them? Banging on the window doesn’t keep them away for long. They just come right back. I don’t want to deal with all that mess again.

A. I don’t blame you. It’s not a good idea to have birds nesting on or in your home for many reasons. Besides the nuisance factor, nesting birds and their droppings carry diseases and parasites. Bird mites can invade your home after the birds have left the nest in summer. Bird nests can be a fire hazard, especially when they are built on top of security lights or in dryer vents. Bird droppings make a mess of siding, sidewalks, and porches. The acidity of the droppings can corrode surfaces, including automobile finishes.

Unfortunately, it’s very hard to discourage nesting birds…must be the hormones. Once they decide on the site for a nest and begin building, they will not be easily dissuaded. Even if you destroy the nest, the birds will usually start all over again. And, unless the birds you’re talking about are one of our three pest bird species (sparrow, starling, pigeon), the birds are protected and it’s against the law to destroy the nest or interfere with nesting in any way once there are eggs or young.

What you need is a permanent solution to your nesting problem and that is bird-proofing. By changing your home’s exterior so that it is no longer desirable as a roosting site, you force the birds to move on. Bird-proofing can involve sealing up potential nest site openings, screening vents, installing bird repellents, or recommending structural modifications. Bird-proofing now can prevent more nest construction later in the spring and summer.

Call Colonial. We’re bird management experts with more than 25 years of experience in dealing with pest birds. If your little nest builders are sparrows, starlings, or pigeons, we can remove the nest and treat the nest area to eliminate parasites. We can then recommend changes that will make that site undesirable for future nesting birds.  We specialize in bird-proofing of buildings. For more on our bird management services, see our Bird Control page under Services section.