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Droppings and parasites
Droppings tend to build up beneath house martin nests, so don't fix nest cups above a doorway.
A shelf about 25cm wide fixed about 2m below the nest will catch the droppings if they cause a problem.
House martins often carry parasites such as feather mites. These are normally harmless to the birds, and do not affect people, but they can be a nuisance if a nest is built just above a window.
A little pyrethrum applied just around the nest (but away from the nest hole) will prevent the parasites leaving the nest. Never spray insecticide into the nest.
Last modified: 23 August 2006