Birds In The News

Bird problems appear in the news more often than we might realize. In fact, a few of the more high-profile news stories in the past few years have been bird-related:

In 2007, more than 500 people were reported sick, and at least eight died due to salmonella contamination in over 400 popular peanut butter products. It may have been the largest food recall in FDA history. Investigators determined that a leaky roof was to blame for the sanitation breach, and that—as birds are known to carry a variety of infectious diseases, including salmonella—it was highly likely that pest pigeons were the vector.

In 2007, the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed due to weak and rusted steel beams. After closer inspection, it was discovered that the structure’s framework was covered with corrosive pigeon droppings. When bird droppings are not quickly washed away, they dry out and turn to salt and ammonia; when this later comes into contact with rainwater, small electrochemical reactions take place that speed up the rusting process.

Bird strikes cost the airline industry alone around $800 million each year. Who can forget the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ that occurred in January of 2009? Shortly after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Flight 1549 was struck by a flock of Canadian geese, losing thrust in both engines and forcing pilot, Captain Sullenberger, to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River. Fortunately, all 155 passengers survived.

Pest birds can be a nuisance and an inconvenience—they can also cause problems that put human beings in serious danger. It’s important to bird-proof your home and/or your business to avoid these issues. Visit www.bird-x.com to find bird and pest control products that are safe, green, eco-friendly, non-toxic, and non-harmful. Bird-X has solutions for every problem and every budget.

Written by Chrissy Hansen—Media Correspondent for Bird-X, Inc.

Social starlings cause big problems

Starling packs are always on the hunt for places to roost, feed and rest. Taking over a large building isn't too difficult for a group of over one thousand of these aggressive birds.

Of all the birds flying cities, starlings are probably the biggest problem. Last September, Steve Carlic of Syracuse (N.Y.) The Post-Standard wrote an article about exactly how dangerous – and expensive – it is to have starlings hanging around an area.

200 million shiny black European starlings crowd North America…The enormous flocks endanger air travel, mob cattle operations, chase off native songbirds, roost on city blocks, leaving behind corrosive, foul-smelling droppings and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year.

Carlic is absolutely right. Starlings travel in massive packs. These packs are so large and dense – sometimes totaling over a thousand birds – it can blacken the sky and completely take over sections of buildings.

The main problem with hypersocial starlings is their droppings. Bird droppings carry many diseases, and they come with a big risk: the liability factor. Slip-and-fall incidents are not uncommon; they can cost companies thousands, possibly millions, of dollars in legal fees and lawsuits.

Tiny but powerful: multiply this little guy by six thousand, and a cute feathered friend turns into an enormous problem.

A multi-pronged attack is the only way to get rid of these tiny birds. Trying an ultra sonic sound device like the Bird-X Ultrason-X is a good place to start. It includes 4 speakers with 100-foot cords that emits annoying ultrasonic sounds annoying to birds. And with a coverage area of up 3600-square feet, it’s a guaranteed way to stop packs of starlings from getting too comfortable in your area.

Starlings love urban areas for the same reason most wildlife does: easy access to food, resting areas, water, and shelter among other things. Roosting for these packs is necessary, so physically obstruction them from being able to rest is necessary. Try some bird spikes or Bird Proof gel. Spikes are rigid and crooked, making it impossible for birds to rest, while the gel makes the area sticky and incredibly uncomfortable.

Stop starlings from making your roof their next roosting spot by putting up spikes or spreading some Bird Proof Gel; both of these are green and humane ways to get rid of unwanted pest birds immediately.

Make sure to contact one of our experts here at Bird-X for any other questions you have about your starling problem. Check out the website at www.bird-x.com or call us up at 800-860-0473!

Bird-X is featured in Living Green Online Magazine!

Living Green Online Magazine is devoted to spreading the eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable word. And so is Bird-X! They recently published an article on green pest control and their main source was Bird-X.

Green pest control measures actually work better than lethal alternatives. Killing birds and other nuisance animals is a losing proposition; it simply creates a vacuum that invites other animals to move in. The key to success is convincing pests an area is no longer desirable.

Well said Living Green. Check the whole thing out here!