We get the impulse: it’s your chimney, it’s “just twigs”, and YouTube makes everything look like a Saturday project. But this particular Saturday project sits at the intersection of federal wildlife law, roof safety, and fire risk, a genuinely unusual combination for twigs.
Risk one: the legal one surprises everyone
If the nest is active, eggs or chicks, and it belongs to a chimney swift (the most common DFW chimney bird), removal violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. That’s federal, with real penalties, and “I didn’t know what species it was” is not a defense anyone wants to test. Rule of thumb: any active nest = identify first, act second. A pro confirms species and stage before a single twig moves, the species guide shows why it matters.
Risk two: the physical geometry
Nests sit at the top of the flue or down on the smoke shelf, meaning your options are roof work over a two-story drop, or fishing blind up past the damper with improvised tools. Add the possibility that the nest’s owner is home, a cornered squirrel or a mother raccoon, and the emergency-room math writes itself. Professional access equipment and cameras exist precisely for this reach.
Risk three: the fire risk of partial success
What the professional version includes
That’s one visit, priced fixed and in writing like everything we do. Save the Saturday.