Pigeon droppings cost historic church $48,000

The Solon Congregational Church probably wouldn't have had to replace it's steeple if they had implemented simple tactics to get rid of the pigeons.

Famous rock stars aren’t the only one’s having problems with pesky pigeons. The Solon Congregational Church in Solon, Maine had to replace their steeple because of their continuous pigeon problem.

The church is one of the town’s historic landmarks. It is very important to not only the parishioners, but also the residents in general.

In addition to being the largest building in town, it hosts nearly every wedding and burial, he said. It holds music concerts and other events. It served as a place to pray and reflect after Sept. 11 and World War I and II.

The Morning Sentinel

So in a town of only 940 (at the last census count in 2000), finding out the steeple of one of their proudest historic landmarks was decayed beyond repair was “devastating” for many. The cause? Persistent leaking and pigeon droppings.

The combination of water and dried, built-up fecal matter is dangerous. Not only toxic to humans - birds carry over sixty diseases transmitted through fecal matter - but also detrimental to surfaces. Eroding steel, metal, and, in this case, a 173-year-old steeple of the town’s beloved church.

Solon residents care about their historic church, and many donated money to replace the steeple. One congregation member even went door-to-door to get the funds for the project.

We’re kind of the little church that could,” the Rev. Nathan Richards said. With between 30 and 40 congregation members, they raised $48,000 for the work mainly through small donations.

The Morning Sentinel

Replacing the steeple was necessary, but how is the church going to defend itself against another pigeon attack? Bird spikes are a start. Since steeples use ledges and beams for internal structural support, spikes are an excellent first step for roost inhibiting.

Putting spikes on ledges is the best physical barrier for pigeons. It immediately inhibits roosting, all but eliminating the possibility of resting birds. (Photo courtesy of fencespikes.net)

What are you doing to protect your business from a possible $50,000 disaster? Bird-X can help you maintain your property, keeping it free from possible liabilities, and saving your business a fortune. Call us up and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Kings of Leon concert halted by pigeon poop

The Kings of Leon had to stop a concert because of pigeons. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

Who expects to go to a concert and have it end three songs in due to…pigeons? That’s what happened at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis this past weekend. The Kings of Leon spent Friday, July 23, dodging aerial attacks by pigeons.

An infestation of the birds in the rafters of the Verizon Amphitheatre bombarded the musicians as soon as they took the stage, according to Andy Mendelsohn of Vector Management.

“Jared (Followill) was hit several times during the first two songs,” Mendelsohn said of the band’s bassist.

CNN

The pigeons were a problem the entire night, even before the popular band took the stage. Band members reported seeing droppings on their instruments and carpet when they walked out. Soon after, the droppings began falling from the sky.

Even the opening bands, The Postelles and The Stills, dealt with the birds during their sets.

(The opening bands) came offstage complaining of getting riddled with large amounts of excrement, their publicist said…

…”We couldn’t believe what The Postelles and The Stills looked like after their sets,” Followill said.”

CNN

This didn’t have to happen, and, honestly, this never should happen. There are too many maintenance free and inexpensive ways to curtail this sort of thing. A simple, stop-the-problem-right-now solution is bird spikes. Pigeons love to roost on ledges, wires, panes — anything that’s available and easy. Spikes immediately take away that option.

The Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre only need a few spikes to get rid of the pigeons. Instead, they got a media firestorm and the worst publicity imaginable. (Photo courtesy of Bird-X, Inc.)

Don’t like the way spikes look? Well, try a roost-inhibiting gel like this one. Like spikes, this stops birds from roosting. But the gel makes the surface sticky and uncomfortable for the birds, and they’ll find another place to rest.

Outdoor music venues are ideal places for pigeons to roost. (Photo courtesy of Blisstree)

Another option are sound devices. Two in particular - the Ultrason X and the Quad Blaster QB-4 - emit ultrasonic sounds inaudible to humans. The Ultrason X has four external speakers each with 100-foot cords perfect for indoor and outdoor music venues like the one pictured above. It covers 3,600 square feet and gets rid of all types of birds, especially pigeons.

The Quad Blaster QB-4 is also great for outdoors. It’s four internal speakers emit high frequency sound waves and audio signals. The sounds confuse and frighten the birds, quickly scaring them away from the effective area up to 6,500 square feet. Either one of these sound devices, in combination with physical aversions, will greatly reduce the risk of pigeons affecting your business negatively.

This story has been all over the news, and it’s been awful publicity for all involved. What if this had been your business? What would you say or do to make this go away? Could your business handle this kind of publicity?

Situations like this are 100% avoidable. Call us up at 312-226-2473 if you have questions about bird damage or just want simple tips to get rid of them. And definitely check out our website for more info on effective bird control products.

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.

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.

Crazy pigeons

Pigeons are so annoying!

I remember the times when it used to be like “Hey, there’s a pigeon in the way so let me just lightly step in its direction and it’ll fly away,” and that was all there was to it. However it’s a completely different story now. They’ve obviously mastered the art of adapting to urban environments.

Now they flock together and glare at you mockingly, daring you to step in “their” territory.  When I need to pass, I try to get them out of the way by idiotically stomping like a madwoman and chasing them, which in so many ways never works to my advantage.

After a while their all-too-comfortable presence gets frustrating. I mean, seriously, can you deal with the constant cooing that resonates in your ear, forcing you to scrunch your face in disgust?  How about their piercing red eyes, mucky feathers, razor-sharp beaks, and prickly clawed feet? Or how about the thought of them proudly mingling and feasting within five centimeters of your standing area without acknowledging your presence?

I’m a frequent public transportation rider, which unfortunately means that I’m always forced to share my limited waiting space with random flocks of disease-ridden pigeons.  Sometimes I wonder how so many birds can manage to remain in the same area for such a long period of time.  Oh, wait, I forget that oblivious culprits feed them falling to acknowledge the potential environmental and health risks that come along with doing such a thing.

When I witness these “culprits” feeding them, I always think to myself, “What the heck are you doing?! Do you not see that huge sign with huge letters telling you NOT to feed the birds? I think the sign’s there for a reason!”

I’ll have you know that birds are actually smarter than you think. They are completely capable of adapting to different settings. They just choose not to due to lack of incentive. I respect them as animals and all, but they need not roam about in metropolitan areas. If we continue to feed them nonchalantly, they will never get accustomed to natural wildlife environments.

People generally hesitate to approach unpleasant settings. Luckily I know how to effectively rid birds from any given area. (But sadly I’m no property owner. All I can do is spread the word.) I work for Bird-X, which is a company that specifically focuses on humanely getting rid of pesky birds and other critters. It’s important that solutions are logical and humane because illogical and inhumane fixes are cruel, redundant, and most importantly ineffective. I would love it if local officials considered administering effective maintenance strategies. Heck, I’d love it even more if private property owners did the same. It’s as simple as setting up a few Terror-Eyes, BroadBand PROs, and Spikes. That way pigeons become uncomfortable with the environment and we city dwellers can avoid crazy bird harassment.

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.