Whether you have a pole barn or whether you have a traditional one, barn swallows can occupy all of them. If you do not control them or do anything about them, it will become really difficult for you to get rid of them later on.

The good news, however, is that there are plenty of ways to get rid of barn swallows. Today, I will share numerous ways in which you can easily get rid of barn swallows.

How to get rid of barn swallows?

Some of the ways you can do so are using a nesting shield, bird deterrent, lasers, electronic sound deterrent, or even swallow bird spikes. I will go into the details of all these methods and more below. Once you go through the list below, you will be aware of numerous ways in which you can get rid of barn swallows.

1. Opt for a nesting shield:

The job of the nesting shield is to shield the places where barn swallows usually form their nest. These can include things like:

• Entryways
• Overhangs
• And so on

When you shield that space, it will become easier for you to block the most obvious spaces in which barn swallows can form a nesting. Once you block the most obvious spaces, you can get rid of them and avoid a future infestation as well.

The nesting shield is nothing but a set of plastic strips that have monofilament in them as well. You can easily install them and remove them according to your requirement. Once you install such a nesting shield is, you will not have to monitor your barn regularly.

2. Use a bird deterrent kite:

One way to avoid the infestation of barn swallows is to scare them away. The best way to do so is to use a bird deterrent flying kite.

These are kites that are tied in the barn and fly on windy days. Barn swallows see these kites as something of a threat. Due to this very reason, they will not go near to the barn when these kites are flying around them. They think of them as predators.

Once again, this method will scare away the barn swallows and do not require much work on your part. You have to attach the kite to the barn and let it fly.

3. Use lasers as deterrents:

Did you know that you can use laser lights barn swallows deterrents?

You can attach laser lights to a pole. They form a pattern that covers a larger area. Moreover, these lasers move randomly as well. Due to the same, it becomes difficult for the barn swallow to figure out any pattern.

Sooner than later, they will get scared of these laser lights. When that happens, they will leave their nests.

After they leave their nests, you can easily throw away the empty nest. They will not be returning as long as you are using these laser lights intermittently.

While installing these laser lights might incur upfront costs, but they can provide you with a longer-term solution when it comes to barn swallows.

4. Install an electronic sound deterrent:

You can use a sound deterrent as well to scare away the barn swallows. However, the sound produced by such a deterrent is quite annoying. Only when you’re prepared to handle that, you can use this method.

The sounds are often of predators. It is the reason why these will scare away the swallows. You can either install them near their nest. When they avoid any of these places, they cannot live in the same habitat for long. Due to the same, sooner than later, they will leave their nest.

The only bit of disadvantage here is that the sounds are often high paced and quite annoying to humans.

5. Use swallow bird spikes:

Swallows need proper resting places. Without them, they cannot continue their normal schedule of flying and getting food.

One way to keep them away is to not provide them with spots where they can restore perch. You can install bird spikes on the spots. It will ensure that they do not perch comfortably.

You have to do so on areas like:

• Gutters
• Ledges
• Roofs
• And so on

Once you do so, they will no longer have a proper resting place. When that happens, they will sooner than later move away from their existing nest to form a new one in a more comfortable place.

6. Eliminate mud nests:

Barn swallows often form mud nests. The advantage is that they are easy to form. On our side, they are easy to remove as well.

You can wash them away when the barn swallow is not in sight. You have to ensure that you are doing so before the barn swallow completes the nest. In that case, the barn swallow will likely find a new place for them at the nest.

You have to, however, ensure that these birds are protected. You should ensure no damage to the barn swallow or the baby swallow, or the eggs. Only when they are empty you can eliminate the mud nests.

7. Create a diversion with a decoy swallow nest:

Many individuals do not have the heart to destroy the nest of the barn swallows. Simultaneously, you need to move them away from your barn as well.

The perfect way to do so is to create a decoy barn nest. It should be away from the barn. Once you provide a better alternative to the barn swallow, they are likely to move away from your barn sooner than later.

Using this method, you will not be destroying the nest of the barn swallow. However, this method does take some time. If you’re prepared to devote the time and have found a suitable place for the decoy nest can you go ahead with it.

8. Use liquid bird deterrent:

Did you know that there are liquid bird deterrents available as well?

While there are chemical-based ones but there are natural ones as well. You need to decide which ones you want to use. Before you make the decision, do keep in mind that barn swallows are protected birds. It is better to use safe liquids rather than the ones which can cause any damage to them.

You can make such a liquid at home, or you can buy them online as well. Nevertheless, such liquids are effective bird deterrents.

9. Eliminate any food sources:

If the barn swallows are present in your barn, it means that they will have a food source nearby. The food source can be colonies of insects, flies, bees, moths, and so on. When you eliminate the food source, you can be certain that the barn swallow will move away to greener pressures as well.

You have to find a food source, and after that, you can work towards eliminating those.

10. Shield with bird netting:

Rather than just installing the shield, you can install bird netting at the entry and exit points as well. When you install bird netting or magnetic screen doors at the barn’s entry and exit point, it will become difficult for barn swallows to get in and out. In that case, protecting your barn from them is certainly going to be easy.

Once you eliminate the barn swallows, you can use the barn as you see fit. You can use it not just for animals but as a man cave. You can install highly effective barn light is eliminate the inside as well as outside of the barn. To find such lights, you can read my post on solar barn light or another post on remote control outdoor floodlights. The point being, once you eliminate the barn swallows, you can use the barn without any hindrance.