Unlike many people in my apartment complex, I have my own washer & dryer in-residence. It's a sensible move: water is one of the few things I don't have a utility bill for and laundromat costs in my area occasionally seem to reach the point of "...or I could just fund a new wardrobe and call it a night'. (Given my wardrobe, this is not a casual statement.) And I don't trust the bulk mechanicals to handle my more delicate items to begin with. So... dryer. Which comes complete with air venting hose heading for a nearby window, a screen, replacement mini-wall with some insulation because that window is open pretty much all the time. The works.

The optional extra arrived a couple of weeks ago.

So. Much. Chirping...

After walking around my building a few times and peering closely at the visual evidence while evaluating the audio, here's what I've got: two parents and what I'm pretty sure are at least three newborns. They are either living in the space between mini-wall and screen or in the dryer vent itself. I actually saw what I'm guessing as the mother leave on a food run and given the speed, my description is 'sort of grey'. The newborns are enthusiastically loud, especially when waiting for food to come in.

I know how they got in: the lower edge of the screen has been pried away from the frame, apparently by beak. Given a good angle, I can see a tiny bit of nest edge. Very secure, I'm sure: I don't think most predators will be getting in.

It's just that...

...I'm afraid to run my dryer.

Because I don't know if they're in the space between now-broken screen and mini-wall -- or if any part of the nest is in the vent. Or if the vent is just too close to the newborns.

I'm sure I was helping to keep the eggs toasty-warm But now that they're hatched... how much heat can they take? If I run the dryer at normal settings, am I risking killing them? I'm not going to open the mini-wall and move the nest: that's a death sentence: taking them away from their parents, can't feed them, etc. But if they are in the vent, it's a good way to potentially start a fire.

I've risked running the dryer on ultra-low -- basically a summer breeze setting. Nothing's happened. The chirps have not diminished and I didn't expect they would: they already got that level of heat last week from the environment. Sure, it takes me six hours to dry a sock, but gee, I have laundromats, right? And I'm afraid to chance any higher settings at all.

It's not as if I can talk them into moving.

*listens to chirps*

..charge rent?

Solutions welcome. Right now, I'm stuck at 'wait it out'.

Therefore, information on bird maturity rates also welcome.

• RE: Dryer birds.,Molaholic, 03:24 PM, 05-15-14
  • RE: Dryer birds.,Estee, 04:02 PM, 05-15-14
• RE: Dryer birds.,PsychoKitty, 03:43 PM, 05-15-14
  • RE: Dryer birds.,Estee, 04:04 PM, 05-15-14
    • RE: Dryer birds.,snidget, 11:27 PM, 05-15-14
• RE: Dryer birds.,kingfish, 03:50 PM, 05-15-14
  • RE: Dryer birds.,Estee, 04:00 PM, 05-15-14
    • RE: Dryer birds.,kingfish, 05:24 PM, 05-15-14
      • RE: Dryer birds.,kingfish, 05:26 PM, 05-15-14
• RE: Dryer birds.,udg, 00:44 AM, 05-16-14
• RE: Dryer birds.,dabo, 10:48 AM, 05-16-14
• RE: Dryer birds.,kingfish, 08:21 AM, 05-22-14

My first (admittedly, middle school student influenced) was

"So if you do run it at normal temperature, you will have drier dryer birds."

Other than that, I'd say that your avian intruders are probably OK -- after all, the underside of a brooding mama can be quite warm on its own. There appears to be plenty of room for ingress and egress, so once the fledges have fledged themselves you can clear out the housing tract and de-entry the entry.

Ciao

...yeah, you're still frustrated about missing the chance to get yourself fired with that sex talk metaphor. Wait 'til next year. Just like the Dodgers.

LAST EDITED ON 05-15-14 AT 03:43 PM (EST)

Wow Estee! That's quite a pickle! First congratulations on the little family! I LVOE watching birds raise families on my house. But it does get messy and I've never had that location issue! Maybe call a bird rescue place or a vet and ask them your temperature question? I wouldn't move them either if at all possible. They should fledge in 2-3 couple of weeks I think after they hatch. You can look up the duration by bird species online.

Good luck!

Not that I have an opinion one way or another ;)
Signature by tribephyl

Can't look it up without knowing the species: can't get close enough to really birdwatch. I may call a vet, though.

I have seen a dryer hose packed with nesting material once before at someone else's residence, which is why I had the screen. In my friend's case, there was... an adult bird at the bottom. *sigh* Part of why I'm so nervous on running the dryer.

I think most that size birds 2-3 weeks is a good estimate, robins are about 2 weeks from hatch to fledge.

Do fix things as soon as the birds are out as some birds (like my dove in the planter) have multiple broods and they don't wait long.

LAST EDITED ON 05-15-14 AT 03:58 PM (EST)

Mocking birds? Guessing, but they are incessantly vocal. And they are grey. Around here the chicks would have already left the nest, but farther north perhaps they are still nesting. I've never seen them nest anywhere but in trees, but I suppose they could settle in a dryer vent. And they are very common. Very entertaining also, the "Mocking" in their name is apt as they can imitate other birds or other things that make sounds in their vocal range. I swear I've heard them making electric buzzer sounds.

You should be able to spot the parents perched somewhere within ten or twenty feet of the nest on lookout and get an ID on the bird.

Wait it out. Whatever type it is, small birds nest only for a couple or three weeks. Buy a few clothes if you have to. Post a few selfies (jkg). Or use the less dirty clothes from out of the hamper, if you aren’t a stevedore or construction worker you can probably do that. Or go a couple of weeks with long dryer cycles.

Experiment: Walk around outside near the vent and see if it objects vocally, and perhaps even flies at you. Startling but it won’t inflict grievous wounds. Usually. They really get after other birds including crows and hawks that encroach on their territory, and the larger birds don’t seem to be quick enough to retaliate.

I have a few Mocking birds that have made my yard their own, and there are times when collecting my mail or paper involves dodging my otherwise cute and entertaining Mockers. And no, I don’t name them.

I also have a neighbor cat that culls the population. Apparently she is a little quicker than the crows and hawks.

Using dirty clothes is not an option.

The vent is three. stories. up. If you know of a way for me to walk near it on that level, sing out.

And for description, all I've got is grey, fast, and somewhat smaller than a pigeon.

For birdsong, it's mostly just been chirping. So much chirping...

LAST EDITED ON 05-16-14 AT 09:06 AM (EST)

The third story poses a problem. Granted.

But you should still be able to spot whichever parent is acting a lookout. They are usually trying to be seen.

If it is a mockingbird, it will not be shy about letting you know it's there, if only by swearing birdy oaths at you. Most small birds are this way, that and their sex drive is why the forest is so noisy in the spring.

Not that it really matters, they will be gone shortly, and Mockers (at least) don't reuse their nests.

Of course the chicks are just one note peepers.

You could just borrow a friend's cat for an afternoon or two.

The fact that you've been running the dryer all along indicates that it's not a problem. It should be another 2-3 weeks before the babies fledge, and then you can fix the screen and avoid a repeat.

Thanks to tribephyl for the sigpic!

Smart birds, whenever you ran the incubator for them it was down time!

Birds gone?

The car in front of me hit a bird on the way to work this morning. A puff of feathers.