Don't run the dryer and don't seal the vent with birds inside. Many native birds and their active nests are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. AZ Dryer Pros removes nest material once the birds are gone and installs a dryer-safe guard or hood, starting at $149, with the exact price given before any work. We don't do live-animal removal.
Why birds pick dryer vents
A dryer vent hood is a small, sheltered box on a wall, often under an eave, and the lint inside is soft nesting material. In Arizona, spring is when we see it most. A hood with a broken or missing flap is the easiest target, but birds can push past a weak flap too.
Signs there's a nest
- Chirping or scratching from the laundry room wall
- Twigs, grass or feathers sticking out of the hood
- Birds flying in and out of the vent
- The flap held open by nest material
- Slow drying or a hot laundry room since spring
The law, in plain words
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects most native birds, and their active nests with eggs or chicks. House sparrows, European starlings and feral pigeons are not protected by it. Either way, we don't handle live birds. If birds are still nesting, we'll tell you to wait until they've left, then come back to clear the vent.
What we do once the birds are gone
We pull the nest material out from the hood end and from inside the run, since nests are often pushed deeper than you can see. Then we brush and vacuum the duct, because nest material and lint together block airflow. Finally we fit a guard or hood made for dryer exhaust: it keeps birds out but lets lint pass, unlike a fine mesh screen.
What it costs
Bird guards, caps and hoods start at $149. Clearing the vent is priced like a cleaning: $79 for a standard wall vent, from $129 if it's packed, from $199 if it's on the roof or a second floor. You see photos and the exact total before we start, and you pay only for what you approve.
How a visit works
- Stop using the dryer. Running it can push hot air into a nest; sealing the vent can trap birds.
- Check for birds. We confirm the nest is empty before any removal.
- Clear and clean. Nest material out from both ends, the run brushed and vacuumed.
- Guard it. A dryer-safe guard or hood, then an airflow test.
Sources: U.S. Fire Administration, clothes dryer fire safety; International Residential Code M1502.4.5.1 (2015/2018).