Building owners and businesses spend millions of dollars annually to deal with infestations and the problems associated with pest birds. The risks associated with these pests increase year after year as bird populations continue to grow in both inner city and urban environments. The fact is, these pests are out of their natural element and without proper bird control measures, they can wreak havoc on commercial buildings and the people around them.

Perhaps the most obvious of problems are the droppings pest birds leave, which are not only unsightly, but can cause accelerated deterioration of buildings, structures and statues. Limestone is particularly susceptible, not just to a bird’s droppings, but the acid secretion produced by the fungi that live in them. Cleaning and restoring buildings so damaged can be expensive. Nests and droppings can quickly clog gutters and down pipes. Left unchecked, these bird by-products can lead to timber and structural damage, unsightly decor, and huge repair costs. Pigeons nesting around commercial air conditioning units deposit fecal matter that can get sucked into ducts, grilles and vents, damaging these expensive systems. Bird droppings that accumulate on ledges, sills and signage are unsightly and ruin the image of a business, especially an eatery. Droppings deposited on pavements, entrances and fire escapes makes them hazardous as pedestrians may slip and fall on them, creating a huge legal liability to commercial property owners. One quickly can see why bird control has become so vital to commercial building owners.

But bird control solves other problems as well. There’s the incessant and irritating noise pest birds produce whey they gather in sizeable numbers. They not only annoy maintenance workers, but can be distracting to visitors in hotels, hospitals and office complexes. Another problem is the offensive odor many birds produce—both in droppings and nesting—a particular nuisance to restaurants with outdoor service. Droppings also spoil finished products in loading bays and storage areas. They can severely stain and damage goods, ruin expensive paintwork, and mar the appearance of costly finished goods, metal panels, and stonework. Droppings can also eat into and destroy wood, paper and cardboard packaging.

Pest birds can be a health hazard, carrying and transmitting any of 60 known diseases. Sparrows and Feral Pigeons can carry bacteria causing Salmonellosis. Feral Pigeons carry Ornithosis, which is similar to viral pneumonia. Birds, bird droppings and their nesting materials contain insects and mites. These insects can damage property, stored foods and fabrics.

As many building owners have learned, keeping pigeons and other pest birds away from commercial buildings is not an easy thing to do. These days, proper bird control takes more than a plastic owl or two to scare away pests. What to do?

Thankfully, there are a number of effective and humane bird control products to keep pest birds off your property. Most are maintenance free and easy to install. Bird spikes, for example, are ideal for pigeons and other large birds. Some have spikes made of strong, rigid unbreakable polycarbonate. Others have stainless steel spikes. Another useful bird control product is the bird spider. It’s ideal for awnings and patio covers. The spider arms move with the breeze, keeping pest birds from landing. Most of these deterrents are sturdy and stable, come in a variety of diameters, and install easily. They also won’t harm the birds.

Another effective bird control solution is bird netting. It’s ideal for a broad range of commercial uses, including signs, warehouses, courtyards, canopies, airplane hangars and rooftops. With its ability to control all species of birds, bird netting is often prescribed by architects. Some products in this category are U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot and waterproof. The webbing is usually available in a variety of mesh sizes to deter sparrow, starlings, pigeons, seagulls and larger birds.

A simple, easy-to-install bird control device that discourages bird pests from landing and nesting is the bird slope. These angled, slippery panels are ideal for eaves, ledges, beams and other 90-degree areas where pest birds tend to nest and roost. Also simple and easy to apply are bird gels. This bird control measure creates a sticky surface that birds hate.

Finally, there are the higher –tech bird control solutions, known as electric-track systems.  Ideal for deterring all types of pest birds, these are easily mounted on ledges, signs, rooftops, and flat or curved surfaces. They discourage birds from landing by conveying a mild electric shock that’s harmless to birds. They also alter a bird’s habits to nest or feed. These systems are low profile and almost invisible. Be sure to get a flow-through design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops and other surfaces. Look for corrosion-resistant products that can stand up to alkali and acidic environments.  The bottom line: bird control is good for your business.

Unlike homes and boats, commercial buildings suffer damage from pest birds on a grand scale. Commercial  building owners spend millions of dollars every year to deal with problems associated with pest birds. The only viable solution is bird proofing.

Failure to bird proof a commercial building can lead to all sorts of problems. The droppings pest birds leave seriously detract from a building’s appearance. The acid secretion produced by the fungi that live in bird droppings can mar paint and other surfaces. Cleaning and restoring buildings damaged by pest birds can be very expensive. Nests and droppings can, over time, clog gutters and down pipes, causing rooftops to leak or fill with water and possibly collapse. Pest bird nests and droppings can get sucked into ducts, grilles and vents, clogging commercial air conditioning and heating units, permanently damaging these expensive systems.

Bird droppings deposited at commercial building entrances and fire escapes increase the likelihood that pedestrians may slip and fall on them, creating a huge legal liability to commercial property owners. Droppings also spoil finished products in loading bays and storage areas. They ruin the appearance of costly finished goods, metal panels, and stonework. Droppings can also eat into and destroy wood, paper and cardboard packaging of products on pallets or outside storage.

(more…)

Let’s face it, pest birds can cost you a lot of money. Especially when they gather, nest and poop in airplane hangars, canopies, garages, factories, warehouses, eaves and other covered areas. There are many ways to humanely get rid of pest birds. One of the most effective is bird netting. But before getting into why bird netting works so well, we should look at why doing nothing is not a good idea.

When pest birds make their home in warehouses, their droppings can ruin expensive products awaiting shipment in loading bays. We all know that pest birds like to invade covered areas in large numbers. And that means lots of bird droppings. Droppings that can freeze up forklifts, chain-driven power lifts, loading dock doors, windows, and access panels. Droppings that can cover and damage electrical panels and outlets. Another problem is that bird droppings can create slip-and-fall hazards for workers and visitors. This can become a huge legal liability to both public and private concerns. One begins to see why bird netting could be indispensable.

Birds in aircraft hangars can create all sorts of problems. Clinton Air Force Base in Oklahoma had six hangars with 200-300 house sparrows in each hangar. Lockbourne Air Base in Ohio had 2,000 to 3,000 house sparrows between three hangars with an additional 2,000-3,000 starlings. Bird droppings, accumulating on the aluminum skin of airplanes, can corrode the metal and eventually weaken the structure itself. Another serious concern is that if droppings, feathers, and other matter get into the engines, critically important parts must be cleaned as they could stop an engine during flight. Cleaning an aircraft engine is very expensive and time consuming.

Pest bird droppings can also pose significant health risks, carrying and transmitting any of 60 known diseases. Sparrows and Feral Pigeons can carry bacteria causing Salmonellosis. Feral Pigeons carry Ornithosis, which is similar to viral pneumonia. Birds, bird droppings and their nesting materials contain insects and mites. These insects can damage property, foods and fabrics stored in warehouses. More reasons why bird netting is so important.

Bird netting has been shown to be an effective and humane bird control solution for a growing  variety of commercial  applications. It comes in a number of colors, including white, stone and black.  Black bird netting provides natural U.V. protection and won’t discolor when it gets dirty and dusty. Installed properly, this type of bird netting is almost invisible.

You can get bird netting in several mesh sizes to control pest birds without trapping them. For large birds like pigeons and seagulls, a 1-1/8” to 2” mesh size is recommended. For smaller birds like sparrows and starlings, smaller sizes are available. Some netting is U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot and waterproof to last longer. Heavy-duty bird netting is made of high strength polyethylene. Then there’s knotted polyethylene bird netting, which is available in U.V. treated twine for extended life and comes in burst strengths of up to 40 pounds. Many of these nets are flame resistant and have a high melting point. Ideal for hot enclosed areas.

If you want to cover an airplane hangar, warehouse or other large area with sufficient bird netting, you’ll need thousands of square feet of netting and special lifts and power equipment to hoist it into place. To ensure a proper installation, a cable should be set up around the perimeter of the area being netted, and the netting should then be attached to this cable. A big job like this usually requires a professional bird control installer. Keep in mind that if bird netting is not properly installed, it will sag and droop, creating gaps that allow pest birds to enter.

If you’re a facilities manager in charge of a hangar, warehouse or other large building,  and you can’t afford the problems of pest birds invading your space, it’s easy to see why bird netting is such a viable solution.

Contact Bird-B-Gone for high quality Bird Netting

Bed bugs and pigeons? What is the connection you ask.  It seems that pigeons and other pest birds like starlings, house sparrows and even bats play host to bed bugs that are plaguing hotels and motels across the country.  Bed bugs have become a great source of stress and loss of money to hotel and motel managers over the past several years. Bedbugs are commonest in motels, where travelers may bring them from other countries; and in rooming houses and apartment buildings, where turnover of residents is high.
Bed bugs are oval, chestnut-brown insects and are flattened from top to bottom. Adult bed bugs measure about ¼ inch in length. One female will produce about 345 eggs during her lifespan. Adults feed once a week on average but feed many times during their four-month or longer lifespan.  An infestation is usually recognized by small blood spots on sheets and itchy spots on the legs.
Bed bugs often come into a home via secondhand articles and furniture. They may also migrate between homes via wires, plumbing, or rain gutters. The Eastern bat bed bug comes into homes in the spring with colonies of bats. They can be found in the living quarters of homes in many of the same places as common bed bugs, but the source of the infestation is located within walls or attic areas.  Pest birds such as pigeons, house sparrows and starlings are also hosts to bed bugs.  Recently a whole apartment building in Toronto, CA was infested with bed bugs, it is suspected that they came from a tenants apartment who was keeping pigeons as pets.  It is also suspected that pigeons roosting on an apartment balcony could be the source of infestation to a hotel building.
Bed bugs can acquire many human disease organisms during feeding, yet there have been no documented cases of disease transmission as a result of bed bug bites.  Their bites do, however, cause an irritating, itching and burning rash.  This is caused by an allergic reaction to the protein found in the bed bug’s saliva.  This discomfort can last for up to a week or more.
So how do we get rid of bed bugs and the hosts that carry them?  Bed bugs can be killed by using extreme heat (greater than 120 degrees F), extreme cold (less than 32 degrees F), steam, and insecticide.  You can help to reduce the numbers before treatment by vacuuming the affected areas.  It is usually recommended that a professional pest controller be used to eliminate a bed bug infestation.  They will inspect the site and use the proper method to eliminate the bugs.
Getting rid of the hosts is another issue.  First you must determine if there is a host, do you find bird feces on a balcony, window ledge or roof eave?  If so, it is most likely some species of pest bird that is transmitting the bed bugs.  There are many products available on the market to get rid of pest birds.  On window ledges and roof eaves you can use bird spikes to keep the birds from landing and roosting.  Balconies can be netted off to keep birds from entering.  To find the right bird control product visit www.birdbgone.com.  Bird-B-Gone, Inc. has a network of Certified Bird Control Specialist across the country that can help you get rid of your pest bird control issues.  Contact them at 1-800-392-6915 to find a specialist in your area.