Uk households with chimneys on house issued urgent and serious warning

THE BIRD AND WILDLIFE CHARITY IS URGING UK HOUSEHOLDS TO EXERCISE CAUTION AS BIRDS TRY TO NEST IN WARM AND COSY CHIMNEYS AMID THE WINTER MONTHS. 12:40, 27 Jan 2025 UK households with

chimneys on their house have been issued an urgent and serious warning by the RSPB. The bird and wildlife charity is urging UK households to exercise caution as birds try to nest in warm and

cosy chimneys amid the winter months. The RSPB said: "It’s best to prevent birds nesting in chimneys – it reduces the risk of chimney fires, as well as avoiding injury to the birds and

damage to their nest. You can do this by having chimneys swept regularly and by fitting a cowl to the chimney pot to prevent access. "If you have a gas fire you will need to get a

qualified gas appliance fitter to come and move your fireplace away from the opening of the chimney to conduct any work. If you have an active nest in your chimney, it must be left alone,

with no fires lit until the nest is no longer in use. This is both for your safety, as well as that of the birds and their nest contents. READ MORE UK SET FOR 13CM SNOW BOMB WITH 'EXACT

HOUR' FLURRIES START ANNOUNCED "Once the nest is no longer active, have the chimney sweep out and get a cowl fitted either by the chimney sweep or a builder. If there are birds

stuck in your chimney that aren’t nesting, you can get them out. Wait until nighttime and make the room at the bottom very dark, then shine a very bright torch up the chimney. Article

continues below "The birds will fly towards the light, thinking it’s 'daylight' and they can be caught in a sheet at the bottom." The charity went on and added: "If

the bird isn’t injured, you can release it outside. Then follow the instructions above to seal your chimney." If you find a trapped bird in an inaccessible place (e.g. under

floorboards, behind a bricked-up fireplace, in a cavity wall or chimney) please contact an appropriate professional such as a builder, the RSPCA advises.