Paul- I don't think you can do anything to discourage them at this point. Hopefully, they may not like this nesting spot and will move on next year to another area and then the swallows should return. I firmly believe the mocking birds scared them away.

Mockingbirds will take on all comers that enter their territory. I have seen them attack cats, crows and even snakes. But most birds are territorial and express that claim to the area around their nest by song or other calls. Many will break other birds eggs if given the opportunity. I have seen house wrens go through a rat hole in the ground to enter an area where other birds had nests and break the birds eggs.

Thanks for commenting.

Well I'm enjoying the mockingbirds, they're certainly busy birds. I'd never seen birds act territorial before, probably because my other bird neighbors aren't as easily identifiable to me.

I'd come to accept that the barn swallows were unlikely to return next year since they had to nest elsewhere, but last week I'm quite sure I saw one swoop behind me so maybe next spring I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Actually, their absence has made me appreciate them more, I'm glad I was able to enjoy them for so long, though I can't help but wonder if their absence is the cause of increased mosquitos this year.

Regardless, I'm considering myself fortunate to now have an opportunity to enjoy the mockingbirds.

Okay, CharlieBoring, quite coincidentally, today I saw two very interesting bird attacks. A large field is behind my house so occasionally I see hawks soaring overhead.

This morning I saw a crow chase off a hawk, then it returned to -its- tree across the street. This late afternoon while driving on a major street adjacent to the field, a hawk flew across the road chased by two mockingbirds(?).

I guess it's one of those things that once you're aware of it, suddenly you see it everywhere. :)

we have a pair of Mockingbirds nesting in our yard this year for the first time, and I can't believe how aggressive they are ! Since our yard is surrounded by tall hedges, there are usually lots of nesting Robins ,Wrens, and Cardinals, but this year there are none. They attack our dog, a large Boxer, who now runs from them. I usually take my coffee out on the back porch in the morning, but one of the Mockingbirds will flutter around my head, then sit on the railing and chirp? caw? at me. Last night I went out to the garden to pick some herbs for dinner, and when I bent over to snip off some Parsley, the &*%^# bird actually landed on my back and pecked me right in the bottom.
( I am not kidding!) Hey, this is MY yard! How do I get rid of these guys?

I'm sorry murkey but that mental picture had me giggling. The only thing I can think of is to plant some type of berry bushes-whatever grows well & fast in your area & then the mockers will be busy protecting them. pecospaul you should have read the posts a few years ago about birds nesting on porches-it got quite heated! If you can get the search engine to work on this site check it out. I had Eastern Phoebes try to start a nest on my porch this spring but I knocked down the few twigs & mud for 3 days. Not because of future mess but because of feral cats & racoons. It just wasn't a safe place. Thankfully they nested in my basement! Their beautiful moss covered nest was placed on a rafter (not sure that's the right term) Anyway it was up at the ceiling of a basement entryway & I can see in the nest from the basement steps. The phoebes are very quiet as they fledge unlike the chimney swifts that are so loud right now I have to keep turning up the TV!
Susan

Oh murkey, that's hilarious, sorry. It does seem that we have less birds this year, which is unexpected because I planted 8 saplings this spring, and there are bird donated trees lining the fence line.

I guess I'm lucky since the mockingbirds haven't attacked me, or my dogs. The other day I heard an odd call across the yard, when approached to see the bird, there were two of the three mockingbirds...I think it was parent and hatchling. They saw me and dashed away.

Susan, I searched prior to posting my question, and read some conversations on that matter��"heated indeed. Yeah, they're messy, so what, clean it regularly...it's like saying birds are important and beautiful until they disturb me. That being said, I don't know how long I'd tolerate a bird attacking me.

Susan, your home sounds like bird nirvana. They may sometimes be noisy, but hopefully they make you feel closer to nature.

��"Paul

Hope you're getting the Barn Swallows back, the chatter, hearing them in the barn, [Delichon urbicum] as a child growing up in Switzerland is still in memory, nothing else can be as soothing.

These birds here in north America, [Hirundo rustica] similar species with darker color have similar sounds and for the first time I have a pair right now building a nest in the root cellar.

I've been fortunate enough to have a pair of mockingbirds in my backyard year around for several years. They are very protective of their territory, especially to other mockingbirds. Every year, they raise two or three offspring, but run them off soon after they fledge.
The only other birds they seem to tolerate are a pair of white wing doves that nest in a youpon holly tree. Maybe because the doves don't compete for the same food source.
They go nuts in the spring when the flocks of Cedar Waxwings come through and strip off the remaining winter youpon holly berries, which is the mockingbirds main food source in winter. They are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Waxwings, but just complain loudly.
The most interesting thing is they mate for life, but go through a re-bonding ritual every spring. They face each other on the ground about 2 feet apart, and the male will hop forward and place a youpon berry on the ground, then hop back. The female then hops forward, picks up the berry and hops back. They do this several times a day until they finally go off and build a new nest and lay eggs.