PLEASANT HILLS FIRST MUNICIPALITY IN NATION TO INCLUDE BIRDS' NESTS IN BUILDING CODEStarting June 1, all new nest construction and major nest renovations in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania must abide by the borough's building code.
"If a bird is just bringing a few new twigs to a pre-existing nest, I'm not going to get excited about that," explained building inspector Samuel Blatchford. "What this code is aimed at is new construction. If you're a bird building a new nest this spring, you need to bring me a check for $500."
Blatchford will hold a seminar in the Pleasant Hills Arboretum tonight at 7:00 p.m. aimed at birds considering building a nest in the near future. "There's a lot of new material in this code that they need to be aware of. For example, what kinds of pliable materials are acceptable for the walls? Twigs and plant fibers are generally OK, but grasses are a big no-no. Sanitation is also a major issue because some of these birds are absolutely filthy creatures, if you'll pardon my saying so. I have to be honest, any time one of them hands me money, I run and wash my hands because you just don't know where it's been."
Blatchford expects to raise close to $100,000 this year from nest permits, assuming most birds comply with the law.
