by Naomi LightHow Do You Control Bird Pests?
Do you want to find out more about how to control bird pests? We look at bird control strategies and why bird pest control is important. Find out more from our pest control experts.
If your home or business is suffering from the effects of having a large number of birds, then look no further. It’s important to regulate the population of birds before they become a nuisance to your daily life. There are many methods of bird control, which we’ll go into.
Bird Control Strategies
If you find yourself struggling, there are strategies and prevention measures you can put into place to help combat the bird population at your premises. Many options are modernising and moving away from lethal and painful traps into a more humane manner of dealing with pests. Leaving dead or dying animals around your property is not only a sight no one wants, but it’ll attract more pests.
Bird Spikes are becoming common integration to roofing, and some architects are including precautionary measures such as these into their designs. These are simple plastic or stainless steel spikes that will line rooftop edges, windowsills, or any other ledges that a bird could land on and then nest. You can also invest in bird netting, which is more commonly used in open areas, like a garden.
Both options can provide a physical barrier to prevent birds from gaining access. You can also get shock track systems, which are used to provide a gentle shock to a bird upon landing. These can be installed on the same ledges that are affected and will deter birds from returning.
If preventing birds from landing and roosting is your main priority, you can also inquire into liquid taste aversions or bird gels. Gels can create a sticky, unpleasant surface that birds will find difficulty landing on.
You can also ensure that other plants and wildlife aren’t harmed, as biodegradable options are available.
Liquid taste aversions, on the other hand, are used for shrubbery and larger, grassy areas.
These simply make the surface they’re sprayed onto taste unpleasant and will stop birds from landing on your garden to feed.
Another popular option is the use of Ultrasonic devices. These will broadcast a high, low-pitch frequency that will irritate any nearby birds. They will remain unharmed and simply find your premises uninhabitable.
The best part about one of these devices is that they are silent to humans and, therefore, can be installed in high foot traffic areas. Another similar tool is a Sonic device, which will audibly play bird alarm calls and the sounds of predators.
Much like the Ultrasonic device, the use of Sonic will prevent birds from coming near your house or work.
If a bird is frightened or uncertain about a certain location, it won’t nest there, and if these devices are used repeatedly, then the birds can be conditioned to stay away.
The appealing factor about these is how non-intrusive they are for you or employees, as the noises will become part of the regular soundscape of nature but will be more effective on the birds.
You could potentially combine some sound-based devices with a drone, which will offer a more physical presence to deter birds.
Some models can achieve more autonomy and fly using integrated Google Maps customisation, so you have to set it up once, and then it can work for you.
If a noise-based device is too intrusive for your business, then consider a laser unit. This bird control device works by emitting laser beams with customisable and changing colours and patterns. This keeps the birds unharmed, but the lights will deter and scare them away and make the entire area uninhabitable.
Of course, using predator decoys has also proven to be useful in bird control. These can take the form of larger birds of prey, like owls, hawks, etc., and are typically inexpensive compared to other alternatives. Some decoys can also use reflective or moving parts to give off the illusion of a living predator.
Why do we control birds?
Birds may not seem to be one of the pests we should be concerned about, but they can be once they’re allowed to highly populate our houses and workplaces. We should control pigeons, seagulls, and other birds not only for the mess they produce but the expensive damage they can cause to our buildings and cars.
By blocking guttering and dislodging roof tiles, among other hazards, can lead to risks to yourself and any potential customers.
A large number of birds can also lead to an attraction of other pests and insects, as insects such as fleas are attracted to their nests and roosting areas.
Their constant fouling and tendency to carry diseases such as E.Coli and Salmonella will provide additional health risks also.
Birds can also spread airborne based diseases and illnesses, putting anyone in the vicinity of them at risk.
Ornithosis can be spread via the air incredibly easily and can cause fever, headaches, and pneumonia in some severe cases.
This can be spread by inhaling dust containing contaminated elements such as faeces and feathers from infected birds. Of course, this is only one disease among many.
Damage to property and housing is regularly caused by birds and their faeces. Beyond causing tiling damage when landing, and blocking gutters when roosting, the unsightly droppings we’re accustomed to seeing cause more issues than you realise.
Bird droppings contain a percentage of uric acid and can therefore dissolve certain materials on your house.
The paintwork, metal, and open stone can all be damaged over time by birds, and this is only worsened on older properties and company warehouses.
The same issue happens to our cars too, as pigeons and other species will collect around where humans are and in parking areas, especially due to their secluded and covered nature.
This means they have free range over your car, and the acid within the faeces can lead to paintwork damage.
However, corrosion isn’t where the problem stops, as water leaks and damp spreading have been known to cause flooding within buildings, all due to constant bird droppings. The same can happen when a gutter can flood due to birds such as house sparrows and starlings.
They will make their nests in our gutters and on top of downpipes, which can cause flooding down the side of your building, sometimes causing deep, structural issues that will be expensive and difficult to repair.
Of course, the opposite problem can also happen in the form of fires. Birds nests are typically made of flammable items, like grass, branches, feathers, and sometimes moss. If a nest has been made in a gutter, for example, and is within range of either electrical equipment or throwing range of a smokers area, then a fire can easily break out and cause damage to the building and humans.
Birds around businesses
How often have you seen a sign around a business that either reads “Please don’t feed the birds” or “Mind the birds, they want your food!” or something along those lines? Businesses have to take extra caution for birds, especially when they begin to grow in numbers and become a nuisance to employees and customers alike.
The real reason that birds such as pigeons, sparrows, starlings, seagulls, and other species like to hang around our businesses is that they know there’s shelter and there’s food. A constant supply of food. Every day you and your employees will either be bringing food to work, or you hire the services of a food van. Either way, scraps will be thrown into bins and then thrown into larger skips and bins.
These are left unattended and can overflow, meaning the birds have free reign.
If you run a food business or restaurant, and birds are allowed to infest and run amock, you will violate the 1995 Food Safety Regulations.
This could result in your company being prosecuted, and poorly reviewed by customers, therefore losing business.
On top of this, a lot of business buildings have flatter roofs in comparison to domestic housing.
This means the birds have an easier time landing and roosting, so it’s recommended that a structural change to the roof happens so that the bird population can be kept low.
Be sure to contact a pest control specialist, someone who is associated with the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), and seek guidance.
Signs of a bird problem or infestation
Many bird species are becoming increasingly comfortable with human presence and won’t be startled by our being there. This means that you’ll begin to notice regular and returning birds, as they’ll treat our homes and businesses as safe places they can breed. Pigeons, starlings, and sparrows are especially used to us and have been known to refuse to migrate South in the colder months, instead choosing to hunker down in our car parks and buildings, knowing they can still receive constant food.
If you’re concerned that your business or house may have a bird problem or infestation, then keep an eye out for these signs. The most obvious would be an increase in bird droppings in and around the building.
This can become a risk at your business if walkways become slippery due to increased droppings. You should also be able to spot nest materials on the floor if birds are coming and going whilst collecting materials for nesting.
If the nesting stage has been reached, you will potentially be able to hear birds communicating more often between parents and chicks. Listen for a higher-pitched cry, as this will be a chick, and therefore a sign of successful breeding.
Pigeons and Gulls especially have become a regular part of our lives and are notorious scavengers, meaning they will find a way into the places we try our best to keep them out of. Be sure to check your bin areas, as any bags left in the open will be pecked apart within minutes of leaving them unattended.
Flat roofing areas will house gulls, whereas pigeons will try to find any roof spaces, and their feathers can begin to block gutters.
Anywhere a bird has settled and bred, there’s also a high chance of bird mites becoming a problem. If a nesting site has been established on and around your chimney, gutters, or roof, then the bird mites will have easier access inside and will come looking for food. This means a higher food supply for other pests in your house, which can spread like wildfire.
Discouraging and preventing bird infestations
As we’ve mentioned, there are prevention measures you can put into place to stop birds from invading your buildings. If you’ve covered your rubbish and food waste correctly, if you’ve invested in deterrents and bird proofing strategies such as spikes, netting, or audial-based decoys, then you’re doing all the right things.
Remove their food sources and chances to settle and roost, and the birds will recognise your building as a place that isn’t suitable for them.
Encourage anyone who enters your premises not to feed the birds, as this will counteract any measures you’ve put in place.
Hopefully, with this information, you’ll be able to adapt the way you live or work and better combat the pest birds in your area.
There are many bird control methods you can use to stop the spread, or contact a professional today for guidance and support.
Do you have a bird problem? Are you looking for pest control in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas get in touch today.