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.

Irri-Tape successfully deters pigeons from balcony

5-star Customer Product Review

We live in an apartment on the East China Sea in Japan - barely a 1/2 mile from the water’s edge and the pigoens [sic] love our balcony! This tape is wrapped to hang along our balcony and shines reflectively against the sun and makes noise against the wind. Works great! We’ve tried a fake bat, owl, snakes, even WD-40 on the balcony - you name it! Our balcony has been pigeon and poop free for a year now.

By R. Gray from Malaysia

Get rid of birds that roost on your balcony by applying Irri-Tape® shiny bird deterrent tape.

What’s Wrong with Poisoning Pigeons?

There have been quite a few baffling incidents in which birds “mysteriously” fall from the sky in metropolitan areas. After crookedly plummeting from the sky, the birds would lie on the ground, flap erratically and then cease from further movement. A closer glance at the hectic sight would reveal groups of disoriented birds convulsing as if traumatized prior to an inevitable death. Given the circumstances of these environments, it is not unusual to presume that these birds have been victims of senseless poisoning.

Pigeon poisoning is an ineffective, irrational, and inhumane method of bird removal.

People waste time and money on pest exterminators. Poisoning birds is useless in the long run. A common misconception is that after a few pigeons digest the poison and die, the others will “learn” to stay away. Pigeons are not the exactly the smartest creatures. Quite frankly, the poisoning method serves as no communication to the bird flock. For all they know, the death of their flockmate could have been incidental. As long as the space is desirable—meaning that it provides food, shelter, and a foundation for breeding—the birds will continue to inhabit the area. If a sufficient amount birds from a given flock die from poisoning, more space is created. The extra space is like an open invitation for more birds to inhabit the area, making it just as populated—if not more—as it was before hard-earned money was thrown into the pockets of the pest extermination company.

The poison can also affect involuntary bystanders. Witnesses to this cacophony may suffer from erroneous panic or blatant disgust for the “culprits.” The haphazard use of poisoning can easily attack the nervous system of other animals. Even humans can have adverse side effects, as in the horrific case of the Casey family in 2000.

I am no radical animal rights activist; I am simply a human who is capable of expressing logical compassion towards another organism. Poisoning pigeons is a redundant, sadistic crime. No organism deserves to suffer from a slow, painful death.

Before you resort to poisoning pigeons out of sheer desperation and helplessness, consider safer alternatives. Bird-X, Inc. has established a name for itself in the humane animal control industry since 1964. All Bird-X products are effective deterrents alone, but if stubborn cases require additional attention, a combination of Bird-X products (including Bird Spikes) will work synergistically to create a truly undesirable roosting environment.

U.S. Bank Uses Bird-X Repellers to Solve Pigeon Problem

Electronic Repellers Help Get Rid of Birds

Here’s a great news clip featuring yet another success story where Bird-X repellers are saving a customer time, money, and public image.

The news story features sounds from our BirdXPeller Pro or our Broadband Pro bird control systems.

8 Ways That Birds and Bird Droppings Cost Your Company Money

8 Ways That Bird Droppings Cost Your Company Money

Birds and their droppings can cause a lot of damage. Here’s a  short list of ways that birds and bird droppings can effect the bottom line in businesses.

1. Wasted Personnel Time
   • Time spent cleaning is a huge direct and opportunity cost
2. Poor Quality/Negative Company Image
   • Unsightly, bird-dropping-laden premises are bad for employees and customers
3. Risk of Inspection
   • OHSA, and other inspection agencies can cite, fine, or shut down operations for bird mess problems
4. Risk of Disease
   • Employees and Customers - over 60 diseases are associated with birds and their droppings
5. Financial Liability
   • Droppings from geese, pigeons can also create slip and fall hazards
6. Machinery Downtime and False Alarms
   • Birds and/or bird droppings can get into machinery and cause failures or false alarms
7. Depreciation of Assets
   • Acidic droppings shorten the life of valuable investments
8. Product Waste
   • Bird Droppings make products unsalable, eating into profits.

Wondering what’s best for your bird control problem? Visit the Bird-X website to view our current line of products to find a suitable solution to any bird problem.

Poisoning pigeons in the park

Several years ago, while driving home from the city, my friends and I were looking for some good music to play in the car to “rock out” to and blast from the windows on our way home. This was in the day before mp3s, iPods, satellite radio and CDs. My tape deck had conked out and I was forced to resort to the basic ad-filled radio. As we scanned through the stations (going absolutely nuts mind you because there seemed to be only ballads by Fleetwood Mac on at 12:30 at night), we hit upon a station playing a really hilarious song. We only caught the end of it, but the last stanza went like this:

“…with each drop of strychnine / We feed to a pigeon. / It just takes a smidgen! / To poison a pigeon in the park…”

We quickly called up the station, a popular classic rock station here in Chicago, and after a few tries, finally got through. The show was syndicated but we didn’t care. We had to know the song. The producer said he would play it in its entirety after the show ended, which he did - at 2:00 am. The song was called “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and is about a couple of people who go out every spring Sunday afternoon and poison pigeons in the park (and sometimes a squirrel).

As I look back on those times with my friends and all the fun we had - the one thing that keeps popping in my mind is that song (and the frantic search for it. Though, the funny thing about that song is that - several years later - I now work for a company that manufactures products the use humane methods for getting rid of pigeons in parks (and other places).

And while the song may ring true for many an angry park goer, that happens to be the WORST way to get rid of pigeons. The only tried and true way to get rid of pigeons for good is through behavior modification. The pigeons won’t leave an area unless they think it is unsavory. Meaning that it isn’t safe, secure or there’s no food.

One great way to get rid of pesky pigeons, especially if you have a serious pest bird problem or pigeon problem is to use a sound device. Anyone can blast a radio, but as we all know, pigeons adapt to their enviroments pretty fast. When walking the streets of Chicago, I see pigeons walking down the middle of busy streets and on the “L” (elevated) train tracks and fly away at the last minute only to return a moment or two later. You should really try a sound device such as a BroadBand PRO or a BirdXPeller PRO. These products use natural bird sounds - in this case pigeon alert and alarm calls - to scare away the birds. Other sounds found on these devices are that of predators of pigeons (hawks, eagles, owls, etc) that will make the area undesirable because it means that their is potential danger nearby.

One could also try using a spray solution like our BirdShield product. This is mixed with water and sprayed on vegetation, trees, buildings, can be added to ponds and most of all, it is non-harmful and non-toxic. It just tastes really, really bitter. Once sprayed on the pigeons’ food source and they’ll stop eating it and go look for food elsewhere.

Or you can start with a visual scare device like a Prowler Owl or a Terror Eyes scare balloon. These products look like the predators that scare off little pigeons and with one look at these “terrifying” objects, the pigeons scram.

As one can imagine, one doesn’t necessarily have to poison pigeons to get them to leave the park. In fact, poisoning them doesn’t tell the other pigeons that the area is unsavory - so all you’re really doing is replacing the foul birds with more foul (fowl?) birds. Take it from us, we know what we’re talking about. We’ve been moving birds from corporate, residential, municipal, and practically every other area you can think of for over 45 years. Visit us at www.bird-x.com and find out how you can solve your pigeon or other bird pest problem today!

What is the best way to keep pigeons off my ledge?

Bird Repellent Gel - Bird Proof

How to get pigeons off ledges

Pigeons, like most birds, are attracted to places that provide roosting and nesting opportunities, food, and shelter. Backyard decks, patios, roofs, and gutters are seen as perfect situations for pigeons to set up shop. We all know that they carry many diseases. And they can be a bit of a pain, disrupting your peaceful day in the backyard flying around and dropping bombs everywhere.

Cheapest way to keep pigeons off your stuff: Bird Proof Gel

So, what can you do to effectively and inexpensively get rid of them? Bird-X actually carries a product, Bird Proof Gel, that works instantaneously. Place some on any surface where pigeons roost, like ledges and gutters, and the surface immediately becomes uncomfortable, making the area sticky and unappealing. Don’t worry; the gel is completely harmless to the birds and non-toxic. It is also discreet and low profile as to not make your property less appealing visually.