What causes bird nesting on a sewing machine?

Bird nesting on a sewing machine is typically caused by birds, such as sparrows, finches, swallows, or robins, seeking shelter and a place to build a nest for their eggs and babies. They may choose a sewing machine for several reasons:

Easy Access

Many sewing machines are left open and accessible, either in craft rooms, garages, porches, or patios. This allows birds easy access to the inner workings and compartments of the machine, as opposed to seeking out small gaps in buildings or walls. Sewing machines may be particularly tempting as the open compartments are often lined with soft material or stuffing that birds can shape into a cozy nest.

Sheltered Location

The cords, pulleys, and metal frame of a sewing machine provide a sheltered, enclosed space for a nest. Birds often seek out nooks and crannies that are protected on multiple sides from predators and severe weather. The body of a sewing machine offers many sheltered areas for nest building that may seem appealing to birds.

Pre-existing Nesting Materials

In addition to being sheltered spots, sewing machines contain many materials birds can utilize for nest building. Birds will incorporate anything soft and malleable into their nests, such as threads, fabrics, insulation, and stuffing from the sewing machine. Pulling these materials out to shape into a nest is easy work for birds.

Suitable Nesting Sites

The compartments and corners of sewing machines have sizes and shapes that birds seem to find suitable for nesting. For example:

• The bobbin case chamber is often round and narrow like many nest cavities in trees and walls. The bird can build their nest shaped to this space.
• The area under the sewing machine lid is flat and wide enough to accommodate a larger nest.
• The space behind the removable faceplate is enclosed on multiple sides, which birds seem to favor for nesting spots.

These spots meet many of the criteria birds have for safe, warm, and secluded nesting sites to raise their young.

Abundant in Residential Areas

Sparrows, finches, robins, and swallows tend to live adaptably alongside human homes and developments. Sewing machines are common household items, so nesting birds have easy access to them in garages, porches, patios, and craft rooms in residential neighborhoods.

Easy Materials Nearby

The materials birds need for nesting, like twigs, grass, and mud, are usually readily available around homes where sewing machines are stored. Birds don’t have to travel far to collect what they need to build their nests in and around sewing machines on residential properties.

Safety in Numbers

Birds may preferentially nest in sewing machines because they detect other birds have nested there successfully before. Birds reuse nesting spots year after year, so a sewing machine where a bird previously raised young may be deemed a safe spot worth returning to. This can result in a sewing machine becoming a regular multi-family nesting spot.

Detect Signs of Past Nests

Birds can detect good nesting locations by the presence of old nests, nesting materials, feathers, droppings, and other signs that other birds nested there in the past. A sewing machine with remnants of old nests is likely to attract new birds looking for a safe site.

See Current Nests

Seeing active nests with eggs or babies in a sewing machine can draw in other birds to nest there too. Birds congregate in preferred nesting areas, so a sewing machine with an active nest will seem desirable for more birds to nest there.

How to Prevent Birds Nesting in Sewing Machines

To discourage birds from nesting in sewing machines, try these tactics:

• Keep the sewing machine closed and covered when not in use. Don’t leave it open and accessible.
• Place the sewing machine in a closed cabinet, closet, or drawer when stored.
• Hang wind chimes, streamers, or reflective tape near the sewing machine. Movement and noise deter birds.
• Place fake birds of prey, like owls or hawks, near the sewing machine.
• Use smell repellents around the sewing machine, like vinegar, garlic, or eucalyptus oils.
• Apply sticky bird repellent gel to surfaces where birds land and nest.
• Install bird netting or a canopy over the sewing machine if stored outdoors.

With some bird deterrents in place, you can discourage birds from claiming your sewing machine as their nesting territory.

Conclusion

Birds often choose sewing machines as nesting spots because they offer shelter, materials, and prime real estate for raising young. The compartments meet birds’ requirements for safe nest sites, and residential sewing machines are easily accessible. To reclaim your machine, try adding barriers, smells, noises, and anything else to make the spot less attractive to nesting birds.