Swallows and Bats: Different Species, Similar Challenges

Swallows are small, glossy black birds best known for their wildly acrobatic flying skills and their highly reliable migration patterns. Their love for dining on insects explains both these traits; swallows’ excellent eyesight combined with wicked flying skills enable them to catch breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks while still in motion. When cold weather sets in and insect populations die off, swallows head to warmer climates where they can continue to hone their talents for spotting and catching tasty flying insects. These migration patterns go on like clockwork year after year.

Swallows are familiar friends found in semi-open and rural areas and are a truly a joy to watch. They love to build their nests in protected, elevated places; you’ll find them under bridges, in barns or garages, and under eaves. Their nests are made of mud and dried grass and are lined with feathers for warmth and comfort. Theses nests serve the swallows well, but they are terribly unattractive and they damage the underlying structure. Additionally, where there are swallows, there are droppings. The walls and floors beneath swallows’ nests are typically covered with unsightly, slimy droppings that damage property and pose health and safety risks.

While bats are a completely different species than swallows, they do share a couple of significant behavior similarities. For one, many bats also eat bugs, but bats like to eat the bugs that come out at night. If you’ve got bats and swallows on your property, you’ve got a pretty comprehensive insect control system going. This means bats are also excellent fliers and are more likely to be present when insect populations are going strong. Another similarity is their propensity to build bat nests in elevated, protected locations. Eaves, barns, garages, bridges, and other comparable locations are favorites for colonies of bats. Just like swallows, bat colonies damage structures and leave messy, unpleasant, hazardous droppings behind.

Swallow Shield™: A Common Solution

The experts at Bird B Gone have strategic solutions to tackle all your bird problems, including swallows and, even though they’re not birds, bats. Our products take into account species’ behavior patterns; our team knows what swallows like and don’t like and what it takes to keep them away. While many of our products are effective on all bird species, we also have species-specific solutions. One example is Swallow Shield™.

Swallow Shield™ is simple, but highly effective solution your swallow or bat problem. Each Swallow Shield™ Kit contains two self-adhesive strips 3" wide by 11" long with multiple clear, monofilament lines that hang off the strip when mounted. These minimal, uncomplicated lines do all the work in this deterrent system; these monofilaments harass swallows’ wings and interfere with bats’ echolocation. When Swallow Shield™ is installed, swallows are unable to fly to their previous nesting site and bats can’t find it anymore. Installation is a breeze: clean the area, peel the backing from the strip, and stick it on so the filaments hang down. In seconds, you’ve prevented swallows and bats from returning to your property. It’s harmless and virtually invisible. Swallow Shield™ is the best swallow deterrent available on the market today.

A Comprehensive Approach

If you have a swallow or bat problem, talk to the experts at Bird B Gone. We’ll work with you to develop a plan that includes one or more of the following elements:

Clean Up

Swallows and bats like to return to the same nesting sites year after year and they are attracted to their own messes. If you’ve had swallows’ nests in the past, clean them up before they return. Eliminate the nest and thoroughly clean all surfaces so there’s no trace of former swallow habitation. If the mess is extensive, get professional help to protect yourself and ensure that all hazardous substances are removed safely.

Consider Alternate Nesting Sites

Swallows and bats can be encouraged to nest elsewhere on your property away from buildings and people. Creating substitute habitats is simple and can be an important component of protecting your property.

Install Barriers

Swallow Shield™, Bird Slope, and Netting are all effective at preventing swallows and bats from nesting.

Use Bird Deterrents

Depending upon the severity of the population, Swallows can also be deterred from congregating in and around your property by a variety of sensory tools offered by Bird B Gone.

• Visual deterrents like Flash Tape, Predator Eye Balloons, Hawk Decoys, and Reflective Eye Diverters work well to scare swallows away.
• Auditory deterrents like Bird Chase Super Sonic sound distress calls designed to communicate danger to swallows.
• Olfactory repellents such as Methyl Anthranilate (MA) found in Avian Block™ effectively repel swallows. Pouches containing MA can easily be hung in areas where swallows gather. The non-toxic scent acts like pepper spray, irritating their eyes, noses, and throats.

Trust Bird B Gone

Regardless of which products you choose, you can be confident that Bird B Gone solutions are safe, effective, and will not damage birds or your property. We have over 90+ years of combined experience in bird control and we’re prepared to help you solve your swallow problem. Contact our bird control experts to discuss a solution for your specific bird problem, product specifications and prices. We’re here to help you keep your residential or commercial property free from costly bird damage.

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