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Can I move a planter that has a birds nest in it???

13 years ago

There is nothng better then to have birds in one's garden, I love it, because I am a totally organic gardner. My problem is I have a planter by my front door that has pansies in it. I noticed one day while watering a bird was trying to build a nest in this planter, that is hanging on the wall by my front door. I pulled it out (it was empty, the bird was in the process of building it) I thought if I pulled out the nest in process the bird would go somewhere else and do her nest. Let me explain why I pulled it out, while she was in the process of building the nest I attempted to pull it out because I knew being by the front door and in the planter I could not water the plants in the planter and the pansies would die which would make the nest in the wide open. Well that is what exactly what happen, I stopped watering the planter because I did not want to get the nest wet, well the plant's went down and the nest is in the wide open, the pansies were hiding the nest before they died. Now when we go out the door and/or anyone comes to the door the bird takes off. The planter is at shoulder level and I am 5'7 a cat cannot get it but any other predator can (birds etc...). The nest is right out in the open, I feel sorry for her. So I thought I could move the planter higher up, I will not be touching the nest just moving the planter that the nest is in. If I was able to move it up higher, the nest will not be disturbed and will be in a more private place and not in the wide open. The planter will be up higher. My question is, If I move the planter up approximatly 15 inches up will she still go to the nest? Will she abandon it? I am not going to touch the nest, I just want to move the planter that the nest is in up higher, so that the nest is not right there at face level. If I move it up she will have more privacy and will be somewhat hidden. Can I move the whole planter up or will it cause her to leave her babies?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my post, I hope someone here can help me with this.

Groroses.

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Comments (7)

sylviatexas1
13 years ago
I think it would be fine as long as you keep it in the same spot.
Carrie_AZ
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks sylvia for answering my query. I have moved the planter up about 10 inches. I forgot to explain that the bird is the common sparrow and the eggs have not hatched yet. So I thought I would add that info. Thanks again.
Carrie
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The type of bird she is I believe is a regular sparrow as far as I know. The father has red on his chest and the mother is just a plain brown sparrow, I live in the Arizona desert in Lake Havasu City, Az. I failed to mention that the birds have not hatched yet they are still in there eggs. She laid the eggs last week. The egg laying started on the 8th she had one a day and has 3 now, so they were laid on the 8th, 9th and 10th. Adding the fake foilage is a good idea. I can monitor the nest very easily because it is right by the front door hanging on the wall and I have a glass front door. bandjzmom, this is not a hanging basket(although I do have those hanging out front too),this is a wrought iron planter with a flat back that one puts the coco fibar in it and it hangs on the wall. I stopped watering it because it would of for sure flooded the nest and I did not want to do that so I let the flowers die and that is the problem, it put the nest right out in the open. I think I will move it up and add some fake foilage (GREAT IDEA Lisa) I will then watch the nest from the inside at the front door. I think I have a better chance of this working because the birds have not hatched yet. I will keep you updated. I am relieved to know that she will not leave her eggs. Thanks and if anyone else feels like chiming in I am all ears. Thanks Again, Carrie
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Truellina
12 years ago
I have the same situation. I have a planter hanging from my porch. The nest is not in the open because when the plant died, I just left in there. I know some birds nests you can move, but what about a doves nest? It still has 2 babies in it and the mother is always close by or sitting in it.

They have gotten so use to us that I can work in the flowerbeds, open and close the front door hundreds of times, my husband can cut the grass, and we can even stand on a chair and look at them and they won't budge. BUT, let one of my neighbors walk by walking their dog and she goes crazy. Oh yeah, she dosen't like it when my husband starts his harley... lol

If I wait until the babies fly away, can I relocate the planter to another location on my porch for her to use the next time? I'd even leave the dead plant in it for protection.
sylviatexas1
12 years ago
I'd leave it til the babies fly, & then put it wherever I felt like the birds would be safer next time...
but sometimes momma bird just wants a new house next year!
Carolann Smith
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I have a nest in a container that has 3 baby birds in it. Mother comes and goes. If I move the container about 3 feet on same wall, will she find it? Trying to get it in more shade, because it sits in full sun hours. However, she built the nest beneath plant and the nest is a "covered" nest. She built it with a "roof" over top. Was wondering what kind of bird -- maybe a sparrow?
HU-664304290
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Move in small lncrements and she won't know it's been moved.
Patricia Vandenberg
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I have a mother morning Dove that has come back to the same planter this will be the second year, but now I have one of her daughters from last year that came and decided to lay an egg in one of my flower pots that had just dirt like little grass growing in it, my question is Im moving apartments the little blue pot is on my ledge and the hanging one is hanging what can I do ? I can’t leave it! can I move it to my new apartment which is in the same complex but only on the other side will they know to go there ?

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