starlings caught house on fire

[threelilkids]

The starlings built their nest in the attic of our house. The nest went up the fire place pipe. The pipe got hot an caught on fire in the attic, had we not had a fire alarm and fire extinguisher our house would have burn down. We just lost a house due too a hot water heater blowing up, noone was hurt. My husband said he was not going to loose another house and went in the attic and put it out there, came down an put the fire out that was burning the ceiling, having to use 2 extinguishers. The only good thing is the birds died, we had birds all in the attic at clean up time, all dead. Now we have more starlings nesting in another part of the house they are driving us crazy an I am going to put rat glue traps in their nesting spot. All in put is welcome. Sorry to all who like this bird I now hate them and will kill all I can. Mary

[Joe Zorn]

threelilkids

So sorry to hear of these fire problems. These birds are pests all the way around.

I doubt that you are going to catch a lot of birds in the glue traps. And even if you do, it will not take away the problem of birds building in your attic.

You are going to have ot close off any entrance that the birds have to get into the attic. The more you catch with those traps, the more you are going to catch. They just keep coming back.

Good luck. That some real bad luck about those fires.

No one on this forum is going to hate you for killing starlings. In fact, many will come up with new innovative ways for you to do so if you hang around long enough and ask the right questions.

Starlings are the Purple Martins nemesis!

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I agree, you must find the opening where the birds are getting into the attic. Its easy, just walk around your house, and look under the soffit (the overhang along the outside edges of the roof), look under the porches, and where 2 different height of roofs meet. It should be easy to find. Cover the hole with screen wire or hardward cloth, that is the easiest.

You can get other things into the attic thru the same hole, such as squirrels, rats, snakes, etc. so its best to find the hole and close it.

[RC Moser]

Hole was probably caused by squirrel or woodpecker?

[threelilkids]

The starling are so busy getting in the attics around here I'm scared that if I keep them out of the house they will go to the martin house, bad huh. They seem to like my house over the martins house. The fire place has been removed, we can not take the smell it keeps us up nights. Thanks for ya'll input

[rrmartins]

So sorry to hear about your troubles. I don't let any birds nest in or around the eaves of my house. I use 1/4 chicken wire and put in in all the cracks around the eaves etc. The attic vents in the gable have it also. You just need to keep them out. Put sreh holes on the martin house. Good luck and God bless.

[geezer]

Expanding Foam and/or Caulk can block off just about any openings around the House.

[MidTNJerry]

My parents live in Lafourche Parish in Louisiana, and they had the same problem. Starlings broke in through an attic vent they pulled out and built a nest in the attic. The nest was found after they left for the season. They had the nest cleaned out and the vent replaced, and the next season the starlings picked at the new vent for weeks trying to get in again.

[threelilkids]

Thanks to all. Found it , and yes its the vents, Putting up wire next weekend. Mary