Which BIRD do you want to MOVE on?
Birds are beautiful and majestic creatures flying around their own environment. We embrace times when seagulls are flying in a flock around the beach. We sit in a park and eat our fish & chips and the seagulls start coming in one at a time. We might throw a chip. They all swoop in. Great Times! However, birds can become a pest when they are swooping, chirping and pooping in our environment.
A Pest Control Technicians gets a call from the local fish & chip shop that they have a bird problem. The birds are pooping everywhere, being noisy, nesting in the building, a dead one was found clogging up the drain pipe, and they are swooping on customers. This is when birds becomes a problem and pose health risks.
The Technician puts a Bird Proofing system in place. It stops the seagulls landing on their building and deters them from coming near the building. Customers can still enjoy the birds in their natural environment. But not at the fish & chip shop.
The options the fish & chip owner had are highlighted below in this blog.
The traditional method was poisoning. This lead to birds falling out of the sky and a reduction in their natural environment.
The modern method is bird management with options of proofing, trapping and shooting. Firstly, understanding the behaviour of the bird. Basically removing the reason why they are wanting to be in the area. Thus denying them access to their food or shelter, so they will move on. Or removing them from the area.
We are dealing with a live animal and they are determined. Thus, the birds will be motivated to regain access. They will put pressure on a proofing system. Technicians are trained to use the right system for the situation. Technicians will give you the options and point out the positives and negatives of the different methods. You can choose the management option that is best for your environment.
Bird Proofing Systems
Proofing - Birds enter the building through holes in the wall, roof or sub floor. The hole does not need to be very big for a bird to set up house. The Pest Control Technician will firstly look where there are access points into the building. They will mend holes and entry points used by birds to stop them from entering the building. If nests are found they are removed. The area is sprayed for the control of bird lice.
Post and Wires - The wire deters birds from landing. This is the original bird proofing system that can be considered for buildings with low pressure pigeon or gull problems. Wire and posts have been used through out history to stop pest or people entering areas they shouldn't be. For example WWI wire was used outside the trenches to deter the enemy, jails have wire and post around them to keep the prisoners in, wire on top of fences to keep birds from perching.
Spikes - a series of plastic or metal pins usually with a polycarbonate base are stuck to ledges to prevent birds from landing in low to medium pressure situations. In heavy pressure situations other control measures may have to be considered in tandem to maintain effectiveness.
Netting - used to cover harbourage areas to prevent nesting and perching on sheltered ledges or other surfaces. If there are inverted windows the netting is secured to the building to block that passage to the window. The netting is like a shield. It is there to stop the birds flying into that area. Thereby access to these areas are denied to the bird, however the netting still provides light and air into those areas. Netting can be fire proof. Ask the Technician what type he is recommending.
Electric Track System - it is like a train track that runs along the building edges where birds perch. The powered track system works on all birds and all pressure levels. It can be powered by the mains and/or solar-powered. They electrify a low profile track, which modifies the behaviour of birds with a harmless shock. The birds do not want to land on these areas after being shocked.
Scaring Devices - audible and visual scaring methods such as sonic and ultra sonic devices, mirrors, balloons, silhouettes and models of predatory creatures can be used to create negative associations in birds wishing to land or roost on buildings. Results however, can vary as not all species of bird react the same way.
For example: a fire station has a problem with birds flying into the building as the big roller doors have to be left open. The Pest Technician installs an audible device to the roof of the building. The audible device gives off sounds that deter the birds from coming within a radius of the building. The sounds are undetected by humans and other animals, however they can be heard by birds and they don't like these sounds. A great way to deter all types of birds, the fire fighters are happy as they no longer have birds swooping on them as they go about their duties at work.
Repellent Gel - gel causes a discomfort to birds when they attempt to roost on items such as garden statues and fountains. It is used when physical and electrical methods are not feasible or visually suitable.
Bird Trapping
Live trapping can be useful for the removal of small local populations, however, it will prove ineffective with larger infestations. Non-pest species are set free. The pest birds are humanely dispatched or relocated.
Bird Shooting
Killing birds is always a last resort. The targeted pest bird is shot and disposed of. This is only done certain situations.
For example: the birds have overtaken a derelict building. The building has squatters living inside as well as birds living inside. The windows and doors need to be boarded up to stop access into the building. It is extremely unhygienic to live or work in these premises. Birds have been roosting in the building there is bird faeces everywhere. To board up the windows and doors there will be birds that get trapped in the building and will die a slow and painful death. The humane way is to shoot the birds in the night after the windows and doors have been boarded up. Then the carcasses are disposed of. Also the Pest Control Technician will recommend that the faeces in the area be cleaned off and disposed of as well.
Get advise from your Pest Control Technician for the best option.
In conclusion: the fish and chip shop wants the BIRD that will buy their fish and chips. They MOVED ON the winged birds by installing a Bird Proofing System!
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