I have a birds nest in my roof. What should I do?

Roofs are sealed from the outside. So if you have a birds nest in there, there’s been a failure in the materials somewhere for birds to get in and nest.

Most of the time, nesting activity is harmless. However the area where the birds were able to get into your roof may be more problematic and it may need repairing. The most common entry route for birds is at the side of the roof where mortar meets tile – here, the mortar can crack and fall away over time and birds can get in. The problem is that if a hole in your roof is big enough to let birds in, then it’s more than big enough to let water in.

I have a bird nest. What should I do?

The first thing we would say is that most birds are fully protected by law – by law, you must allow the young to leave the nest before repairing your roof. There are very few exceptions to this so if you are reading this article and you have nesting birds, you must allow the young to leave the nest before you take any action.

If the nesting season is over and there’s no more chirping coming from your roof, then there’s a good chance that the birds have moved on. If this is the case, then you can call in a roofer to repair your roof – so long as the roofer can confirm that the nest is inactive.

I’ve discovered a bird’s nest during roofing work. What should I do?

Sometimes birds’ nests are only discovered during renovation work. If this happens and the roof cannot be left until the young have moved on, you are allowed to make an artificial nest box so long as you install it as close to the original nest as possible. This is a safe way to deal with the young as the mother will continue to look after them. You are then free to perform renovation work on your roof without falling foul of the law.

Birds have caused a large hole in my roof and it’s letting loads of water in. It’s an emergency – what can I do?

The law is the law – birds are fully protected by it. So you can’t remove them by yourself – unless you can site an artificial nesting box close to the original nest. If that isn’t possible, then what you can do is call your local council for advice as well as the RSPB who’ll help you.

 

If you have a birds nest in your roof, please call 0113 293 4038 or click here to email us>

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