Birds, Buildings, and Solutions

by Dave Kogan

Bird poop on property

What do buildings, houses, parks, hotels, restaurants, airports, golf courses, all have in common? They are all major targets for pest birds. Face it, they’re everywhere. And you cannot avoid them. Even when cities and town post signs that explicitly say “DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS,” people still sit there and feed the birds. Why? Are they pretty? Sure. People love birds and there are so many of them in so many different colors that they’re hard not to like…except when they leave a foul mess in your building, or hang around when dining alfresco, or when they take over a window ledge so you cannot open your window for fear that they’ll fly inside and take up residence. What then can you do about pest birds?

Well, many people love birds until, well, they don’t. That is when the birds make a terrible mess and ruin your property that one stops liking those adorable yet messy abominations. How un-adorable are they? Take for example the Butler County Courthouse in Hamilton, Ohio. Birds were roosting on ledges all over the building leaving quite an unsightly mess. The problem came crashing to reality when a cornice on the structure began pulling away from the building in 1988. A maintenance crew removed the cornice to find over 300 pounds of bird feces. “Conditions were deplorable,” said the purchasing director of Butler County. “Bird droppings were a foot thick on some ledges.”

The mess generated questions in regards to public health and was a public relations nightmare for the county. A few of the courthouse employees were diagnosed with Histoplasmosis, a bacterial infection caused by a fungus found in bird droppings. The county installed some bird preventative measures at a cost of nearly $100,000. Then the building was refurbished in 1997 and the architects found Bird-X’s 100% recycled polycarbonate plastic, nearly invisible spikes which now cover 11,000 linear feet of ledges, porticos and round windows for the 4-story building…and there have been no more birds or their feces since.

Electronic sonic bird deterrent installed on roof

That’s just one scenario. In Davenport, Iowa, pigeons were bombing a local branch and sidewalks surrounding a US Bank with their nasty droppings. The bank was spending thousands of dollars every week power washing the exterior walls and sidewalks. The bank manager went on line, completed a search for getting rid of pigeons and found Bird-X. They decided on using an electronic sonic bird deterrent. Now there are no birds leaving their droppings or even roosting or nesting by or on the bank.

So what can you do as a homeowner, business owner or unfortunately, a resident in Magna who are under attack from barn swallows? Wildlife control experts will tell you to move the nests or trap the birds and release them elsewhere. To make matters even more challenging, there are often restrictions on conventional control methods. Harming the birds is often a problem. Facility managers are often reluctant to kill birds due to sensitive public relations and image concerns (we’re still reading about the 2,000 geese being culled in New York near JFK airport a week later). Other options which do not kill, but are still visible to the public, such as traps or possibly glue boards, may not be permissible.

Ultrasonic bird repellent sound device

Yet there are ways to get rid of the birds without harming them. A sound deterrent works great inside or outside. This, of course depends on the area you’re seeking to protect. For instance, patrons at an outdoor eatery may not want to hear the distress cries or predator calls of birds every hour or more. So how does a restaurant combat birds? There are ultrasonic sound devices. That means that the sounds are played above that of human hearing. Patrons can eat in peace with the noise of birds or the mess.

If the bird problem is on or inside a building, like with the restaurant, facility managers can try sound deterrents that will readily disperse the birds. However, many will tell you that the best defense for any building ledge, roof or outcropping would be to use plastic or stainless steel spikes. Or a special bird proof gel or spray that includes methyl anthranilate which comes from the skin of concord grapes.

The spikes, sprays and gels would work well for residents in Magna, Utah as well as everyone else. Those residents might also benefit from sonic bird repellent machines to scare off their swallows. Building owners may also want to try bird netting to block entry to a specific area or visual scare deterrents like scare balloons, prowler owls or three dimensional coyotes to scare off birds before they even get close enough to find an area desirable.

Synergestic bird control

The main thing is to make an area inhospitable to birds. While birds might become accustomed to one approach, combining two or more to work in tandem (for instance using a sonic device and polycarbonate spikes) will greatly increase your success rate. With so much easy to use technology developing in the realm of bird control, every situation has a solution just waiting to be found. And clearing a bird infestation can make a huge difference in terms of economics, morale, and most importantly, public safety. If the choices seem to be overwhelming or you don’t know where to start, there are always bird control experts who are happy to help.

For more information about bird control and bird control products, contact Bird-X at 800.662.5021 or visit the website at www.bird-x.com.

Keeping Raccoons Away From Your Yard

A family member of mine owns a lovely home in a suburban community a few hours away from Chicago. Some time ago I decided to pay her a faithful visit since we had not seen each other in so long.

After arriving and surveying the front of her home thoroughly, I greeted her with a displeased look accompanied by subtle sympathy. My obnoxious reaction had been targeted towards the repulsive jumble of rattled vegetation that she called a yard. It was an absolute mess. The trash can had been tipped, her yard grass had been deliberately ripped from the earth, feces were spread awkwardly on the ground, and the sides of her home were scratched up pretty badly.

I asked her about the mess and she confessed to me that she was at constant war with the pests that chose to designate her property as their personal residence. She was tired of constantly cleaning up after their nightly escapades. The most annoying of them all was the raccoon pack that discreetly established themselves as the rulers of her yard. Their lack of concern for her aggressive shooing tactics led her to give up on them. She once considered installing an electric fence but eventually came to her senses after thinking about the potential harm that the fence could bring to her young children.

She modestly asked for my help and I was more than happy to give her advice about getting rid of those pesky ‘coons.

I told her about the general problems that were affiliated with raccoons:

• Raccoons adapt very well to almost any environment with ample food and water sources.
• You will rarely witness raccoons in the act because they are nocturnal. The only sign of their presence is a tattered lawn with occasional feces lying round.
• Raccoons will eat virtually any food that they can put their grubby little paws on.
• Raccoons are wild animals, so handle them with caution! They are infamously known for their susceptibility to viral diseases, such as rabies, canine distemper, and raccoon parvoviral enteritis. Also, their feces may contain raccoon roundworm spores, which can seriously sicken humans if inhaled.
• Raccoons are not easily intimidated and can be ferocious animals; test them and they may perhaps sink their sharp teeth into your precious skin.

Tips for Getting Rid of Raccoons:

You must make sure that your home is not a desirable location for raccoons to inhabit.

• Secure the lid of your trash can (e.g. attach a bungee cord to both handles and let its elastic rope naturally fasten the top of the can).
• Station your trash can so that raccoons will not be able to knock it down easily (e.g. put a heavy brick inside).
• Apply raccoon repellent granules onto the lawn. Granules last longer than liquids and have a stronger scent. (Consider using Shake-Away Repellent Granules. These granules are 100% organic and are made up of predator urine, which signal danger to the raccoon.)
• Install a scarecrow sprinkler on your lawn. (Bird-X’s HydroBlast ScareCrow sprinkler is motion activated and shoots an extraordinarily potent water spray that scares animals away.)
• Most importantly, consider investing in an electronic, sonic pest repeller. (The Bird-X YardGard will surely do the job but if you have a more serious pest problem, check out CritterBlaster PRO.)

I wished her the best and assured that if she followed these precautions and guidelines, she should definitely see results in no time.

For more information about how to get rid of raccoons and other backyard pests, visit Bird-X.com.

Mega Blaster Pro Keeps Birds Out of Vineyard

We just received a new testimonial from a customer who utilized the Mega Blaster Pro wide area bird repeller in his bird control operation. The mission was to keep birds out of their vineyard. There wasn’t enough time to install bird netting, so the Mega Blaster was mounted on a trailer and provided instant reduction in bird damage. In this application, the Mega Blaster proved effective over approximately 20.5 hectacres.

24 April 2009

Hello all,

We have finished using the Mega Blaster in our vineyards now and are very pleased with the results. The unit was mounted on a trailer and shifted every couple of days to confuse the birds. It was mostly used in areas we hadn’t had time to cover with nets. The 4 extra speakers and amplifier gave us maximum sound penetration. There was very little bird damage within a 200 metre radius (12 hectares) and it was significantly reduced over a 250 metre radius (20.5 hectares).

We have used electronic bird repellers for many years with various degrees of success but they had micro chips with harassment sounds which were annoying for neighbours. The customized micro chips programmed to suit our bird species, were much more pleasant and successful. Iwould have no hesitation in recommending this electronic equipment as an important tool in bird control.

Regards,
Herman S———
S——– Estate

View the Bird-X Mega Blaster Pro wide area bird control system

When squirrels attack…

The single best invention by human beings is the internet. Not because of the handy information about diseases, endless educational resources, up-to-the-second weather and breaking news. It’s all the other stuff – procrastination-enhancing blogs, reality television reviews and, my personal favorite, youtube.

What, exactly, does this have to do with pests? Well, I found some really great video of squirrels searching for and eating food. It was not the actual act of chewing that got to me, it was their sheer will and fearlessness. One squirrel got onto a person’s lap to eat an almond M&M. Then there’s that awesome Bud Light commercial. You know – the one where drinking Bud Light gives you the power to talk to animals. And the dog says ‘sausages’ repeatedly and the squirrel tells the guy to mind his own business. Classic.

I never really paid much attention to squirrels until I moved to downstate Illinois to go to school. This is when my true memory of squirrels and their valiance began. They were everywhere and completely ruthless. Ask anyone who went to school in a college town with a green campus and a huge quad – squirrels are fearless. Maybe they’re just used to the idea of college kids rushing to class and get a kick out of making their commute that much harder.

Hearing stories about squirrels from friends became a daily occurrence. I never had any problems with them and actually came to admire the little critters for their bravery. I mean, they would literally walk right up to me, as if to have some sort of conversation. I thought it was cute until, that is, I started to hear true horror stories.

In August 2006, people lounging in an Orlando-area park complained of squirrels getting violent. One woman said her three-year-old son was bitten by a squirrel several times, resulting in a two-inch gash. Another young child, also three, was bitten on the calf while a man endured scratches and bites on his arm while sitting on a bench. Apparently, just one squirrel caused all of this damage.

In October of that same year, a squirrel attacked a four-year-old California boy in a Bay area park as his mother unwrapped a muffin. Officials said that attack like this had been occurring since May 2006. Officials also said that the “brazen behavior stems from years of being fed by park visitors.” People expressed outrage when authorities decided to kill the squirrels – which we should all know by know does not work.

People could go a long way in helping themselves when it comes to this seemingly harmless furries of mass destruction. I sometimes think squirrels have gotten a bad rap with sites like All Squirrels Must Die! devoted to getting rid of the creatures. Posted on the site is a pretty entertaining video showing what happens when a group of squirrels and a female M&M – this of the animated persuasion – cross paths (what is it with squirrels and candy-coated chocolate candies?).

Bird-X has some great devices that can solve your squirrel problem. One such gadget is a Quad Blaster QB-4. This device is ultrasonic which means it is above the human hearing threshold (we can’t hear it). Basically, it emits a sound that birds, squirrels and most other pests and critters cannot stand, and they will flee the coverage area immediately. You can use it almost anywhere and the 360-degree coverage is up to 6500 square feet. It is programmable, so you can change the frequency, warble rate and speaker sequencing so the animals will not become accustomed to the noise.

Another top option is the YardGuard. This sonic repeller has a built-in infrared motion detector; activation occurs when animals wander into the coverage area (up to 4000 square feet). Since this is a motion detector, it is actually lower maintenance than many of our other products including the Quad Blaster QB-4. It is also effective in getting rid of raccoons, deer, skunks, as well as dogs and cats, and other garden pests.