Birds and Bats in the Eaves

Birds nest in gaps at the soffit and fascia every spring, and bats roost there too. A nest in use is protected under the Wildlife Acts, so a gap is closed once the young have gone, from late summer. Every Irish bat species and its roost is protected: if bats use your eaves, work that would disturb them needs a licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

What's allowed, when, and how gaps are closed.

Check my soffit and fascia

Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.

In usenests are protected
All batsand roosts protected
Late summerthe time to close gaps

Birds

Starlings, sparrows, jackdaws and swifts all nest at the eaves.
A wild bird's nest that's in use is protected: wait until the young have left.
Late summer and autumn is the time to close gaps and fit comb filler at the tiles.
Swift boxes can go up under the eaves, so they keep a place to nest.

Bats

All bats in Ireland and their roosts are protected under the Wildlife Acts and the EU Habitats Directive, brought in by the Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations. Work that would disturb a roost needs a derogation licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Signs: droppings that crumble to dust, bats leaving at dusk. Tell the company before any work.

How gaps are closed

A broken soffit section replaced.
Comb filler or eaves vents with a mesh at the tiles.
The joint between the soffit and the wall sealed with a trim.

What it costs

Job	Typical cost	What moves the price
Soffit only, by the metre	€66 to €98 a metre	Vented or plain, the bearers behind
Fascia only, by the metre	€49 to €82 a metre	Capping or a new board

Supplied and fitted in uPVC. Work on a house is at the reduced 13.5% VAT rate.