Few people think of birds as a nuisance. They are beautiful in their diversity of colors and songs. However, some species, when they nest in your home or descend in large numbers, can cause extensive damage and create an unhealthy environment.
In Utah, mud swallows like to build mud nests on man-made structures. Pigeons are known for roosting on buildings and for their highly corrosive excrement that damages many of the surfaces with which they come in contact. European starlings are an invasive species that travel in large flocks. They can damage crops, and their waste not only spreads invasive seeds but also transmits diseases. House sparrows are also invasive and congregate in flocks to feed on the ground and roost on buildings.
All of these species create unsanitary conditions when roosting around buildings and produce a loud chatter that is difficult to endure. In addition, they harbor parasites such as fleas, lice, and mites.
The three common pest birds are pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows.
Pigeons
Pigeons are abundant and look for roosting and nesting spots that resemble the rocks and cliff ledges they prefer. Having pigeons in your yard means you have gutters, chimney ledges, or balconies they enjoy for scoping out the area for food. Pigeons may also use eaves, barns, sheds, or roof vents to build a nest. Pigeon droppings can cause a variety of issues for buildings and people. In addition to being unsightly, the excrement corrodes buildings and kills vegetation when it accumulates in high enough volumes. For a long-term solution to the problem of pigeons, exclusion is usually an active part of professional bird management. Blocking open spaces on roofs with bird netting or adjusting the angle of ledges can help prevent further infestations. Trained technicians can decide the most effective methods for each home or yard.
European Starlings
Starlings are some of the most common pest birds for residential customers. Starlings have bright yellow bills in the summer with a black, iridescent, spot coloring and like to nest in attics through soffit holes (bird block holes). The nests that they build and will use year after year if allowed are big, smelly, toxic, and mite-ridden.
House Sparrows
House sparrows live close to humans. Sparrows regularly take up residence in and around man-made buildings, which contributes to noise pollution as well as various health hazards resulting from their droppings. Due to swallows’ social nature, large infestations regularly occur in backyards. Though beneficial in eliminating insects, their presence comes with excessive droppings that mar lawns, sidewalks, and houses. Swallow colonies also deface siding with multiple mud nests.
Other Nuisance Birds
Other birds may occasionally cause unexpected and unusual pest problems. Woodpeckers may peck holes in house siding to look for insects and to make nest cavities. When blackbirds and crows roost in suburban areas they become pests. Seagulls can feed on food plants, and they roost and nest on large flat roofs with crushed stone.
Most bird species have strict regulations on what types of control methods you can use. The most effective bird removal services are harassment techniques. These control methods make the habitat less inviting to birds so they find another roosting location.
Many birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Act of 1918 as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Great Salt Lake is known for its influx of about 10 million migratory birds that stop each year to rest, refuel, and breed. Our specialists are fully versed in federal, state, and local ordinances for how bird infestations must be handled.
Critter Control thoroughly inspects the area for conditions that attract birds, like harborage and loafing areas, as well as food and water sources. We also look for where birds may be entering your home or business and search for damage caused by birds, whether it’s by nesting or by their droppings.
After identifying the bird species, we may start by physically removing the species in question. In rescue situations, such as when birds are trapped in chimneys or basements, they can be released on-site if the entrance has been properly secured.
For persistent birds and larger flocks, several advanced techniques may be applied simultaneously, including netting, spikes, ledge products, scare tactics, misting, and more. None of these methods harms the birds. They are installed to make the building or property less attractive to birds and more difficult for them to roost and nest. The most effective method of bird control is prevention and exclusion.
We can repair the damage that is allowing birds entry to your home, like broken siding, weakened gutters, and rotted soffits and fascia. We can also install protective screens on chimneys and vents. Once the birds are removed, we clean out nesting materials and accumulated droppings, then clean surface stains. We can use netting over fruit and vegetable crops and water basins. Netting can also be used in car ports, building overhangs, and food courts. Roof ledge barriers are another humane deterrent we employ.
Birds can create significant issues for businesses. Nuisance birds flying around food processing or grocery stores can contaminate food products. Birds roosting on storefronts introduce hazards to customers. Warehouses and manufacturing can grind to a halt if pest birds are flying around.
The best bird control approaches emphasize deterrents, exclusion, or modification of buildings. Critter Control’s knowledgeable technicians have bird-proofing and bird control methods for any nuisance bird situation – especially to get rid of birds that congregate in warehouses or apartments.
Our comprehensive inspection identifies all the locations birds are a problem.
Bird trapping is usually ineffective and in most cases illegal. The best bird removal creates an environment that is unfavorable to birds. The mild harassments techniques encourage the birds to find a new location to roost or nest.
Bird exclusions block access inside your building and create unfavorable landing locations on the exterior. Traditional bird control solutions include bird netting, bird spikes, electrical tracks, and bird wires.
Bird Netting
An exclusion material is typically installed as a horizontal ceiling or vertical wall barrier to deny birds access to enter a space, or roost on a structure. Heavy-duty UV-stabilized polyethylene netting is suspended utilizing a high-tension steel perimeter cable and turnbuckle system. Zippers are installed in the netting to provide maintenance access for lights and other similar fixtures.
Bird Electric Track
A humane deterrent product adhered to ledges, signage, and roofs to deter birds from roosting on the surface. A flexible UV-stabilized PVC base, with electrically charged contacts, provides a mild electrical sensation to modify the birds’ habits and encourage them to roost elsewhere. Electric Track may also be installed in non-typical locations to deter birds and other wildlife.
Bird Slide
An exclusion product is typically installed on a flat surface to deter birds from roosting on ledges, windowsills, or structural beams. The angled material effectively raises the pitch of the ledge surface to approximately 45 degrees, creating a surface that birds cannot land on. Bird Slide may also be used in other unique situations to control birds and other wildlife.
Bird Wire
A humane deterrent system is installed on ledges, pipes, ridges, gutters, windowsills, and structural beams to deter birds from roosting. A series of stainless-steel posts spanning spring-tensioned wires creates an unsteady landing and roosting surface for approaching birds.
Bird Gel
A humane repellent is typically applied to ledges, architectural trim, windowsills, and structural beams to deter birds from roosting. Applied directly to a surface or distributed in a series of gel dishes, this multi-sensory bird deterrent helps repel birds and modify their behavior to go elsewhere.
Bird Spikes
A deterrent for medium-sized to large-sized birds fastened to horizontal surfaces, such as ledges, pipes, windowsills, and structural beams, to deter birds from roosting. Rows of metal or plastic spikes, connected to a base are attached to the surface to be protected from birds.
