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Homeowners Ecological Ethics Guide Book

A book discussing the moral dilemas of homeowner fauna relations
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(+3, -1)
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Earlier this year I had to cut the dead leaves (branches?) of my palm tree. I was astounded at how many bird nests were in that tree. It took me about half a Saturday to clean up the tree, but I felt badly about taking out so many bird nests. (The longer I dealt with the nasty crapped on leaves, the less unhappy about removing them I was, though).
I would have cut down more, but I was tired & would have been about 20' up on the ladder, and it seemed that every one of the remaining branches had a nest on it. It looked much better than when I started, so I left them alone.
One of the displaced birds (I assume) found a gap in the eave of my roof around back. I just today figured out that it made a nest in there & has babies up there.
I don't really want them there. I have heard that if you disturb a nest, the parents will disown the babies. I am also wondering how things will go when they start getting into the fiberglass insulation. I have a small attic, and from what I have seen being up there I think It will be easier for me to go up on the ladder (2nd story) & remove the eave board to get to the nest. I don't really want to do this either.
If I could only open The Guide book & read about whether the birds will die anyway from the insulation, my decision would be easier to make. Perhaps in the book I could find out what it is I have done to warrent animal intrusions into my residences in almost all of the places I have lived in Houston/Katy. Racoon, Squirrel, Bees, Wasps, And now Birds. I don't get it Houston is a large Metropolitan City what is with all of these animals wanting to squat?
I also know that gasolining & lighting a fire ant mound was not sane morally or otherwise, but It sure felt good at the time. I wouldn't do it again since I found out about Amdro. If only the book existed.

Curious about opinions on what to do about the Birds nest in the attic.

Zimmy, Apr 24 2005

[link]






       Just leave the birds nest where it is. Once the bird and its hatchlings leave, clean up the place and try and make it look unattractive to other future birds and their nests.   

       At my old school a bird made a nest just above where we had lunch. We left it alone, but over the holidays, some idiots killed the bird and smashed the eggs. We were really upset about that. Best just leave it.
froglet, Apr 24 2005
  

       Perhaps you should encourage snakes to move into your yard. The snakes can deal with the birds. You are then left morally neutral.
bungston, Apr 24 2005
  

       The only one I knew of that lived in the yard met with an unfortunate accident when it got in the way of the weed eater. I was most annoyed when I saw what had happened. It was a harmless little snake & it never bothered me at all.
"Where's my snake? What have you done with Bezzel?"
"Oh, he's met with an unfortunate accident" (I think I remember that right from the movie. It's not in the book)
Zimmy, Apr 24 2005
  

       The homeowner's traditional response to birds in the eaves has been a BB rifle, where available, and chicken wire to prevent re-habitation.
ye_river_xiv, Aug 20 2008
  

       Is it a House Sparrow or maybe a Starling nest? I'm told that the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits removing active nests of any species except House Sparrow, Starling, and Rock Pigeon.
bnip, Aug 20 2008
  

       Never mind, just noticed the date of the idea; I'm sure he's found a solution by now.
bnip, Aug 20 2008
  

       How about falconry?
normzone, Aug 20 2008
  

       Or introducing an exotic predator species, but that might upset the ecological balance of the house.
bnip, Aug 20 2008
  

       Kent Brockman reads the news.   

       KENT Our top story, the population of parasitic tree lizards has exploded, and local citizens couldn't be happier! It seems the rapacious reptiles have developed a taste for the common pigeon, also known as the 'feathered rat', or the 'gutter bird'. For the first time, citizens need not fear harassment by flocks of chattering disease-bags.   

       ...   

       SKINNER Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.   

       LISA But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?   

       SKINNER No problem. We simply unleash wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.   

       LISA But aren't the snakes even worse?   

       SKINNER Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.   

       LISA But then we're stuck with gorillas!   

       SKINNER No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
wagster, Aug 20 2008
  

       "I don't really want them there. I have heard that if you disturb a nest, the parents will disown the babies. I am also wondering how things will go when they start getting into the fiberglass insulation. I have a small attic, and from what I have seen being up there I think It will be easier for me to go up on the ladder (2nd story) & remove the eave board to get to the nest. I don't really want to do this either."
So you're looking for the lesser of two eave-ils?
phoenix, Aug 20 2008
  
      
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