Discourage birds from nesting?

[bdesj]

Help! Robins have been nesting in our carport for several years, and we just put up with the poop art that they left on my wife`s car. Not good, but we didn`t want to disturb them. But this morning my wife called me outside to see something new- when checking the oil in her car, she noticed the makings of a new nest under the hood!

It wasn`t completed yet, and we cleared it all out, but I expect they`ll be back at it ASAP. Short of enclosing the whole underside and all wheel wells in wire mesh, is there anything we can do to discourage them from nesting there? My immediate thoughts were to remove all the nests from the carport and block all that off to them (that part I know I can do) in order to convince them to move on, but now I wonder if eliminating the easier options will make them MORE determined to move into the engine compartment. Thoughts on that one?

[backpacker3]

Some people get some cat fur or snake skin sheddings and leave them under the car or on the wheels or something like that.

[Cobb]

I use to have problems with cats and kittens. I would out a few moth balls in a sock and zip tie it to something that doesnt move under the hood and it did the trick. Threw a in the flower bed too to keep them from nesting there.

[Xist]

One of my Sergeants installed electrified bird repellent something-or-other, just enough of a shock to discourage them, but not enough to hurt you, which he knew for a fact, because he always managed to shock himself.

I am kind of inclined to put a big bird feeder about ten or twenty feet away. Would that help at all?

[bdesj]

Originally Posted by backpacker3

Some people get some cat fur or snake skin sheddings and leave them under the car or on the wheels or something like that.

Haha! I thought maybe we could convince the neighbor`s cat to move in there, but if we could just get him to leave his fur, that would be a bit less problematic!

Thanks for the ideas, all. I don`t think electrifying anything would be feasible, will try mothballs. About the bird feader, I don`t see how it could hurt anything, but I`m pretty sure they have a much longer range than that already for their daily shopping runs. Since posting the first time, I went out and checked the nests- looks like no eggs currently. I`m going to eliminate all of them and hope that it won`t just make them all want to move into the car. Will stop for some wire on my own grocery run this afternoon to keep them from returning to the old spots.

[Vman455]

Are you sure it's the birds starting a nest under the hood and not a rodent who has decided to move in?

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by bdesj

Help! Robins have been nesting in our carport for several years, and we just put up with the poop art that they left on my wife`s car. Not good, but we didn`t want to disturb them. But this morning my wife called me outside to see something new- when checking the oil in her car, she noticed the makings of a new nest under the hood!

It wasn`t completed yet, and we cleared it all out, but I expect they`ll be back at it ASAP. Short of enclosing the whole underside and all wheel wells in wire mesh, is there anything we can do to discourage them from nesting there? My immediate thoughts were to remove all the nests from the carport and block all that off to them (that part I know I can do) in order to convince them to move on, but now I wonder if eliminating the easier options will make them MORE determined to move into the engine compartment. Thoughts on that one?

"Not good, but we didn`t want to disturb them." You allowed it to happen. Once you permit something to happen, you will see more of the same behavior in the future. Animals will occupy your domain if you allow them to do so.

...but now I wonder if eliminating the easier options will make them MORE determined to move into the engine compartment. Thoughts on that one?

No, animals are not human, they don't have opposable thumbs, and they are not interested in retribution. They just want free food and shelter, and they take whatever route is easiest.

You need to close all the points of entry that allow birds and rodents to take up residence in your garage or (if, as you said) a carport. In other words, you need to make it impossible for them to roost there.

Also consider getting a dog, preferably one of a breed that is disposed toward hunting birds and rodents. Dogs are territorial. A dedicated dog will dissuade undesirable animals from loitering on your premises.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Xist

One of my Sergeants installed electrified bird repellent something-or-other, just enough of a shock to discourage them, but not enough to hurt you, which he knew for a fact, because he always managed to shock himself.

I am kind of inclined to put a big bird feeder about ten or twenty feet away. Would that help at all?

No, giving any animal (or human) a free feed or a handout just encourages them to want to hang around and expect more goodies.

When rewards are withheld and there is no longer any food, nor shelter, nor attention given them, they will go elsewhere.

[YeahPete]

Get a BB gun and shoot them. They'll leave you alone after that.

[cowmeat]

If there are no eggs in the nest just get rid of it. The birds will build a new one somewhere else when they realize they made a bad choice. And I agree with Vman455, it's possible that it's a rat nest, not a bird nest, unless you actually saw the birds fly under the hood.