You Dirty Bird, Learn How to Keep Pest Birds off your Building!

Pigeon on Roof Edge looking out for Enemies!

Walk any scenic street within the confines of a city and you will see and hear pigeons from the rooftops!  This can be a problem because, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), pigeon droppings contain over 60 know diseases that live and grow within feces, nesting material, carcasses, and feathers. Gutters, roofs, railings, and windowsill ledge aren't the only problem areas! Because pigeons often congregate on roof tops, air duct and heating ventilation systems/HVAC can become contaminated and filter impure air throughout an entire building complex, making the environment toxic for those who work within.  If left untreated, this can lead to serious health, medical conditions, and breathing irritations and illnesses.

Pest Birds Flocking to the area!

But before you think pigeons are the only culprits, sparrows and starlings can also infect areas.  Next time you take a walk down the street to your local deli think about the pest birds congregating on the rooftops! Sparrows and starling droppings can lead to salmonellosis, a form of 'food poisoning' caused by airborne spores and bacteria filtering through air ducts and contaminating counters and food prep surfaces.  The airborne spores from pigeon and starling droppings can also lead to histoplasmosis, a 'flu like' illness, or ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS) and possible blindness.  The degree of danger associated with these birds makes clean-up costly and of great risk for workers.  Deterring pigeons and other pest birds, like sparrows and starlings from ventilation systems, gutters, roofs, and railings is far more cost effective and health safe.

The key to successfully solving a bird problem is figuring out what attracts the pest birds to various locations on your home or yard.  Is it food?  Is it a protected nesting spot?  Is it a great sunning location?  Once you know this information, you can choose the right bird control product to protect your home and apply it to the right location to drive the pest birds away. The following are the most common homeowner bird problems and solutions:

Pigeons Damaging a Roof Top

Pest Birds on Roof Peaks & Edges

Pigeons and gulls like to roost on the peak or the perimeter of roofs to keep an eye out for enemies, overlook food or water, and sometimes to just sun themselves. If you are experiencing this problem, the easiest solution is to run BirdSpikes along the peak or edge of the roof. Make sure that when you are installing the Bird Spikes, that the tip of the spike is even with or hangs a little over the edge of the building. If installing bird spikes on the roof peak try to place them as close as possible to the high point. A few rows of bird control spikes may be needed to remove the area where the birds are frequenting. When installing Pigeon Spikes, clean the area first to remove any dirt or bird droppings. Once the area is clean, apply adhesive to the base of the Bird Spikes and set them in place. I don’t recommend screwing down because that can damage your roof and cause water leaks. It is also a good idea to reinforce structural bird control products with visual bird deterrents such as; the Eagle Decoy Scares Birds, Holographic Guardian Owl , Optical Bird Gel , Bird Free Fire Gel Bird Repellent and the Bird Flock Deflector Scares Birds, Gull-Cat Bird Deterrent, Dead Seagull Decoy, EcoBird Woodpecker Spray & Pest Bird Repellent

Bird Spikes

Nesting Pest Birds

Pigeons and other pest birds liked shaded areas because it protects them from the elements. If pigeons are nesting in this shaded area, the best solution is to net off the area with 2” Mesh Bird Net as this will completely block access to the area. When pigeons are nesting, they have a strong desire to remain there so you need to completely eliminate access with the bird netting to drive them off.  When installing Bird Netting, try to angle it out a little so there is no available shade for the pigeons to roost. Try to avoid putting holes in the roof by wedging attachments under roof shingles, or gluing/bonding attachments to the surface if the surface is strong.  The same directions apply to sparrows and starlings except to keep sparrows out use a ¾” mesh Bird Netting and Starlings 1 1/8 “ Bird Netting. 

Electric Bird Shock Track

Don't use Bird Spikes against smaller birds like sparrows or starlings as they only work against pigeons and larger pest birds. For a long-lasting and very effective solution against all size and species of pest birds, a electrified track like BirdShock FlexTrack can be installed by a professional bird control company. If you happen to have Turkey or Black vultures on your roof top we recommend reinforcing the Flex track with Dead Vulture Decoys hung upside down near the problem area.

*To learn more about state specific bird related infections go to your state or local Department of Health website.  For general information on bird related diseases visit National Institute of Health (NIH).   

By Connie Collins

connie@birdbusters.com