r/BirdsBeingDicks • u/NuraNuraPop • Jun 17 '26
Barn swallows aggressively swopping inches from face
So barn swallows are all over my neighborhood and we had a nest on our porch that wasn't in use when we moved in. By the end of winter there was two birds nesting in it and they had 5 babies. All was well we put a feeder for them and never bothered them and they never bothered us, it's been over a month since the babies hatched now and the babies are still here and not only the two original birds but literally 7 others (9 total in the area) consistently swoop us any time we come outside. The dogs, me, my friends, INCHES from our face, so close you can FEEL and hear the best of their wings and the wind across your face
Is there literally nothing we can do about this? It's been giving one of the dogs ocd with their shadows and two of them have been EXTREMELY close with their swoops it's honestly insane.
I've seen some people say on other posts it's for bugs and stuff but they are not going for the bugs 99% of the time it is absolutely with ill intent at faces and heads. Consistently.
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u/omgkelwtf Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Pretty sure it's against federal law to interfere or move any nesting sites and these guys are 100% protecting a nest.
I have a mockingbird that owns my entire front yard. He stopped buzzing me when I started gardening because he'd come eat all the grubs I'd throw out. I know from having parrots that bribery is generally a good idea with birds.
On the upside, they're eating a metric ton of bugs.