ᐅ Bird Infestation in the Attic

We recently moved in. Unfortunately, the exterior plaster is not yet applied. There is a gap between the masonry and the roof edge where the insulation wool is visible. Birds have now nested there.

It will take a few more weeks until the exterior plaster is installed.

Should action be taken now?

If the animals are already nesting, it is prohibited to remove the nest (a fine of 5,000–50,000 euros may apply). It is best to contact the city or municipality, as they know the responsible nature conservation authority. They will inform you about the situation.

Do you know what they do then?

Hello and Happy Easter;

Marchonisch schrieb:
It will still take a few weeks until the exterior plaster is applied.

I can’t tell from the photo, but if those are swallows, there won’t be any exterior plaster applied there—at least not before they finish nesting. They are strictly protected, and if a local environmental officer finds out, you could have a serious (!!!) problem.

You are not allowed to remove the nests, even when they are empty. You must leave them in place until they are used again. And if they eventually fall down on their own, you can still face charges for unauthorized removal of swallow nests. That actually happened to us; luckily, we were able to prove that the nests had really fallen off by themselves.

Best regards,

Andreas

There is a gap visible between the wood and the green insulation material, isn’t there?

The birds are sitting "in there," or at least they fly in and out through that space.

What advice can one give you without encouraging anything illegal?

Let’s put it this way: In such a case, I would wait for the breeding season to end, remove the nest after the young birds have left, and then clean the area.

Of course, no one should imitate this...