How to Deal with Nuisance Birds

How to Deal with Nuisance Birds

Here at Go-Pest we have a wealth of experience in helping customers deal with bird problems. Some species of birds can create a nuisance, including noise, fouling, and even causing property damage, so if you’re dealing with a bird problem it’s best to tackle it sooner rather than later.

Here are some of the options we can offer to help deal with a problem involving birds.

Pest advice for Controlling Pigeons, Gulls & Other Birds

Before we begin it is important to note that Every wild bird and their eggs in the UK is protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it illegal to harm or kill any bird species.

Unfortunately, there are a few species of birds that come into direct conflict with humans when they take roost in or around our homes or businesses. They can cause real problems, including excessive noise and even health concerns.

Urban birds such as pigeons and gulls are opportunists. The urban environment in which they have decided to call home provides them a readily available food source and sheltered nesting sites, these birds can grow rapidly and what initially attracted a few birds can soon become a thriving colony!

Whilst it may be tempting to take a DIY approach to bird control, if you’re dealing with nuisance birds, our advice would be to seek the help of a professional pest control company.

Why do we Control Birds?

The main reason we control birds is to help minimize the impact and spread of pathogens and diseases. Pigeons alone carry more than 100 pathogens and there is ample research to suggest other bird species can pass on a variety of air-borne and food-borne diseases to humans. These include Chlamydia psittaci, Cryptococcus neoformans, Salmonella spp, and Escherichia coli to name a few. These diseases can be transmitted from bird droppings and the birds themselves.

Bird droppings can be a real issue too. You’ve no doubt seen what damage they can do to your cars paintwork if left for a period, but dry pigeon droppings can also become airborne in small particles which can lead to respiratory problems. Bird droppings can also be slippery which can cause a serious risk on pavements. If you have birds roosting above the entrance to your business, you can no doubt imagine how this could be off putting for some customers and potentially damage your business reputation.

We’ve touched on it above when we mentioned your car paintwork, but droppings can also damage property and brickwork. Bird droppings are acidic and can corrode and erode metals, stonework and brickwork.

Then there are the materials that are used to build their nests. These can block chimneys, flues and guttering, causing possible issues with carbon monoxide and damage to buildings as water overflows from blocked gutters.

How to Prevent and Deter Birds

We’ve touched on the why, so now we will get to the bird control and bird proofing services we are able to offer to help you control nuisance birds.
Birds are rather simple creatures; all they require to live a happy life is a nesting or roosting site and a reliable food source. Removing food sources, or blocking off sites is the best way to deal with a bird problem. To help reduce their access to food, we would recommend that all bins are sealed, and that the area around your property is kept clean.

For proofing and controlling, we offer a wide range of preventative methods such as:

  • Bird netting
  • Bird spikes
  • Electric bird wire
  • Non-toxic optical bird gel
  • Laser deterrents
  • Shock stripes
  • Audible scares.

Visual deterrents are one option. These include fake predators such as plastic owls, reflective tape, even traditional scarecrows fall into this category. Unfortunately, birds quickly adjust to these items and after a period are no longer intimidated by them.

Noise making devices are another alternative. Commonly called bird scarer, cannons or pyrotechnics, these devices create a loud, thunderclap like noise that scares birds away. As with the visual deterrents, birds can become used to the frightening device. However, using multiple devices and changing their location can help prolong the effect, but are not a viable longer term solution to control birds.

Repellents are another bird control method. Liquid, granular or adhesive repellents discourage birds from congregating in areas where the repellent is applied. The repellent typically offers birds a bad taste when they ingest it to persuade them to stay away.

Bird spikes are another popular method to control birds. As we mentioned, if you remove their ability to nest or roost, they will move onto a more favourable location. Bird spikes are long, needle-like rods that can be made of metal or plastic and attached with wire to window sills and overhangs. Birds find these spikes uncomfortable and won’t land on them, keeping them away from problematic areas around your home.

Deailing with Nuisance Birds at Your Home or Business? Call the Professionals!

For professional bird control in London and the surrounding areas, contact the team at Go-Pest today for fast and friendly advice on how best to deal with your bird problem.