Bird Removal

Bird Removal

What would the morning be without the singing of birds? For most folks, the delightful chatter of songbirds outside their window brings a sliver of joy in to the otherwise groggy endeavor of waking up for work or school. If you happen to be one of the unlucky few to have birds living inside your home however, you may have a very different opinion. Loud banter or the screaming of hungry chicks may wake you up long before your alarm goes off, doing nothing but reminding you of the pest in your home causing damage to your investment and putting your family at risk.

Bird Control

Nesting birds can take advantage of many parts of a home. Vinyl soffits and fascia can be picked apart to grant access to the vast catacombs of your eaves. Soft materials such as stucco or rotten wood can be pecked at and excavated into nesting cavities. Even dryer vents when left unprotected can be utilized as nesting habitat for small songbirds. Once the birds commit to nesting in your home they begin to collect nesting material. This means bringing anything from leaves to litter into your walls, soffits, and attic to build nests for egg laying. These eggs will eventually hatch producing more birds, and further exasperating your issue. Bird nests can be havens for disease, as well as harbor many parasites. They act like a sponge, soaking up droppings day after day. Couple this with the heat of incubation and you end up with the potential for a host of viruses, fungi, and bacteria. The droppings stain walls, deteriorate insulation, cause heavy accumulations around roosting areas, and pose safety hazards on walking surfaces and handrails.

The three species that are usually associated with nuisance birds are European starlings, house sparrows, and feral pigeons. All three species are non-native, released here by humans. They all are unprotected under wildlife law, and compete with local native birds for resources like food and habitat.

European Starlings

Starlings were introduced in North America in 1890 by Eugene Schieffelin in an attempt to import every bird mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare.  The original 60, released in Central Park, have grown to a staggering 150 million estimated individuals and span from Alaska to Central America as a result of minimal diet restrictions, and the ability to nest almost anywhere.  This massive population from such a small genetic stock makes North American varieties of this starling particularly susceptible to widespread outbreaks of disease.  Their large flock sizes and fierce territorial nature can also make them a very noisy pest to have in or around your home.

House Sparrows

Sparrows, by comparison have become almost completely dependent on human civilization. Oversized populations anchor to large human population centers, far in excess of normal carrying capacities, for the unlimited supply of food as well as the availability of nesting sites.  Sparrows tend to move in to a nest rather than carve out their own. Rather than fight with a current occupant, it is easier still to take advantage of empty cavities readily available in modern human homes. Also because of their close association with humans, this species is known for its tendency to carry many human diseases like E.coli, and surprisingly often Salmonella.  Recent studies estimate around 13% of house sparrows may carry Salmonella. For comparison, the number of bats that carry rabies is around 1%.

Pigeons

What can we say about pigeons that haven’t already been said? Introduced in 1606, this scavenger found early success and developed large, seemingly boundless populations. Their dense community structure and rapid, year-round breeding cause them to completely take over any structure available from dusty rural barns to busy multiple lane bridges and overpasses. Their foul and often dangerous droppings can paint a floor from corner to corner, or accumulate to stalagmite like piles multiple feet in height. Scavenging and overpopulation also lend themselves to large outbreaks. Pigeons often foster Histoplasmosis, a respiratory disease caused by a fungus, and many different types of exoparasites like mites and lice. Read about pigeon infestation mitigation here.

Get Rid of Birds From Your House

Physical Deterrents – Many problems may be solved using physical deterrents like bird spikes or cables. By discouraging the birds from landing, devices like these eliminate roosting areas, and prevent nesting altogether. Once installed, these devices remain permanent to insure the problem remains at bay long into the future without requiring follow up services. Read more about optical gel bird deterrents here.

Exclusion – In cases where the birds have made their way into your home, we can remove them by “exclusion” similar to how we handle bat issues. “One-way doors” are installed over each entry point. When the birds exit to forage for food and water, the devices prevent them from reentering upon their return. Once we are confident your house is free of birds, we remove our devices and patch the entry points permanently, often utilizing chimney caps, protective screens, dryer vent covers, or metal flashing. These patches are always guaranteed for your peace of mind.