How to not let birds be an annoying word in your garage this spring

This was one bizarre life lesson I didn’t expect to learn.

A couple of springs ago, I did what I often do at the house in April, which is leave the garage door of the house open a lot.

It helped with spring cleaning, it was a sign to neighboring kids that my son was home and available to play, and well, after a winter’s worth of constantly having it shut, it seemed like a good way to get some fresh air and have the feeling spring was in the air.

Then as I went to shut it one night, I heard a sound. One glance at the panel and I said, “Uh-oh.”

Seemingly in no time, a bird had built a nest right on top of the panel of the garage door opener.

So, what’s the big deal, you ask?

Well, it pretty much led to leaving the garage door open 24 hours a day for the ensuing weeks until the eggs hatched and the baby birds flew on to civilization alongside their mother.

We decided to choose life of the birds over full security of the house, but it’s definitely a risk we don’t want to take again.

Has this ever happened to you?

If not, here is a synopsis of why birds like to do this, and how to prevent them from setting up camp in your garage.

Why birds are attracted to garages

There are basically three main reasons why birds like garages, according to freedomwildlifesolutions.com.

• Food. There could be open pet food containers or trash they are seeking.
• Shelter. Garages can protect them fr
• om rain, wind, or chillier weather.
• Nesting. Since garages offer shelter and security, they are appealing to building nests for their eggs.

How long does it take for a bird to build a nest?

It can take anywhere from two days to two weeks for a bird to build a nest, according to natureswaybirds

.com. If you leave a garage door open during daytime on a Saturday or Sunday, it’s not inconceivable for a bird to have a nest built in there by Sunday evening.

What steps should be taken to prevent birds from building a nest in a garage?

Here are some preventive measures you can take:

• Shut the garage door. This is an obvious, but important step. This way birds don’t try to enter
• at all, or at the very least get the hint it’s not a good place for nest building.
• Seal gaps and cracks. If your garage door is shut but birds are still finding their way in, close up any gaps or cracks by sealing the with caulk or weatherstripping.
• Remove food sources. Make sure garbage cans are sealed and pet food is stored in containers.
• Install screens. If this is a doable option on any part of a garage door and you insist on ventilation, installing screens will help keep birds out.

Hopefully all the above can help this spring. One thing is certain is that my garage door has stayed nice and shut so far.