How to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine?

This blog post will answer the question, ‘How to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine?’, and cover topics like why do birds nest in a car engine, why are birds nesting in a car engine dangerous, and ways to prevent birds from nesting in a car engine.

How to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine?

These are the following ways to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine:

• Locate where the birds’ nest is if it is near the battery or the hose pipes
• Check if the bird’s nest is active or if it is just a pile of hay, leaves, or twigs.
• In case of a simple pile of waste like a pile of hay, leaves, or twigs, simply pick it up and throw it away
• Make sure to dust off the residual debris after removing the nest contents
• If the bird’s nest is active and it contains eggs or even hatchlings of the bird, avoid taking action on your own
• In such cases, it is recommended to contact the wildlife control unit or any related social body for the removal of the nest

Why do birds nest in a car engine?

A bird’s nest in a car engine is not uncommon. Birds usually build nests in a car engine to protect themselves from the seasons and also because the car engine is warm and an enclosed space where they can be safe and secure.

A bird’s nest can be found inside a car engine if it has been parked under a tree or in an area with a lot of foliage around. Other areas that can promote a bird’s nest in a car engine are sheltered areas like a shed or even a barn.

Why are birds nesting in a car engine dangerous?

Birds nesting in a car engine will always be a threat to its internal components and on a larger scale, the entire car as well. This is because bird’s nests are capable of causing cars to catch fire.

The bird’s nests are mainly made up of materials like hay, twigs, or leaves. All these materials are dry in nature and can start fires very easily. The nests inside a car engine make the situation all the more dangerous.

The danger of a car on fire can put the surrounding environment in danger too. This is when the car on fire was parked in a garage with other cars or near other buildings, thus jeopardizing more than one vehicle.

Ways to prevent birds from nesting in a car engine

These are the following ways that can be used to prevent birds from nesting inside a car engine:

Regular inspections 

It is the most reliable and safest way of being sure about a bird nest inside the car engine. It is necessary to perform these daily inspections, especially in areas that house a lot of bird population and has a good amount of vegetation cover.

Covering the car

This is not only an effective method to cover the car from birds but it helps prevent other fauna from getting close to the car, and it also acts as a protective surface over the car that keeps dust, debris, and other substances away. 

Birds will not get attracted to the car if a cover is used and will have close to no entry points into the car engine or any related areas. A cover having reflected properties that are silver-colored or shiny in nature is a popular choice to deter any birds.

Fake predators 

Birds consider creatures like hawks, falcons, and owls as predators and stay away from them. While it is not advisable or recommended to hire a creature like this, a fake statuette or a similar puppet-like creature can be used as the predator.

Placing these fake decoys on the car will ward off any birds who try to get close. Although, it is necessary to place the puppet in different locations and at different times as the birds might get suspicious and figure out the trick.

Reflective surfaces

This method is an unusual but a super effective one to prevent birds from building their nests in and around a car engine. Reflective surfaces like CD disks or any other related surface can help do the trick.

This is because CD disks being reflective in nature, have the ability to scare the birds away and thus create a no nesting zone in and around the car. They can be hung in and around the car to prevent birds from approaching in any direction.

Using a sound emitting source

This is a very reliable way of scaring away birds from the car engine. A sound emitting source is powered by means of a battery and is usually placed inside the car.

As the birds approach the vehicle or even come near it, the sound emitter lets go and the sound produced scare the birds away. The only concern with this step is that acquiring a sound emitter is an expensive investment and is hence, not used commonly.

Using a strong source of smell

A strong source of smell includes using cayenne or habanero pepper, peppermint oil or sprinkling chilli flakes. This can be carried out by applying these substances on a piece of cloth or a swab of cotton.

The cotton or the cloth can then be wiped or applied on different components of the engine or the car, the strong smell will help deterring birds from approaching the car.

Research has shown how a bird nest caused a bonnet fire in Shetland and how it feels to experience it at first.

Conclusion

This blog post addressed the question, ‘How to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine?’

We understood the reason why birds choose a car engine as their nesting ground and why it is dangerous to have a bird nest inside a car engine. Furthermore, the ways to prevent a bird from building its nest inside a car engine have also been discussed. Please feel free to comment on the content or ask any questions in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How to get rid of a bird’s nest in a car engine?

How do i keep birds from nesting under my car hood?

The most effective way to solve this issue is by using a car cover that will not allow birds to gain any access points into the car engine or anywhere around the car.

What happens if a bird’s nest is destroyed?

In case of the above, it is likely to see the bird building it’s nest somewhere close by or laying eggs in it.

When can you remove a bird’s nest?

A bird’s nest should only be removed when the nesting period is over and the birds have gone somewhere else. If not, it is best to consult the animal control department or any related social body rather than taking action on our own.

References