PRESS RELEASE: Historic lighthouse wins the battle against pest birds.
After years of combat with pesky seagulls, the historic DeTour Reef Lighthouse found a way to use today’s technology to save a little piece of yesterday. The DeTour Reef Lighthouse is located at the head of Lake Huron in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Having been built in 1847 and moved to its current location in 1931, the actual structure is over 150 years old and serves as a testament to the region’s shipping and social history.
After being placed on America’s Most Endangered Historic Places list in 1998, the lighthouse was ‘saved’ by the Detour Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society. In fact, the DRLPS has a unique program where volunteers can stay at the facility as weekend keepers, performing all the duties necessary for preserving the structure and hosting visitors. Over the years, the lighthouse staff encountered several unwelcome critters. But the longest and fiercest battle has been against the “donations” that seagulls and other birds leave on the deck.
The birds themselves were annoying the tourists and keepers, while the bird droppings were defacing property and placing a burden on volunteers to keep the walls and walkways clean. The power washer got quite a workout during the summers, and although the deck always looked great after cleaning, the seagulls were soon visiting and leaving their marks behind again.
DRLPS tried a variety of attacks on the visiting seagulls—including rubber snakes—without success. In the summer of 2010, property managers decided to invest in a bird control solution from Bird-X.
They ultimately chose the BirdXPeller PRO—an electronic bird repellent device that emits naturally recorded bird distress signals and predator calls to frighten, confuse, and disorient birds within a 1-acre range (up to 4 acres with the 4-speaker system). Once installed at the DeTour Reef Lighthouse, seagulls quickly learned to stay away.
One weekend keeper said, “Seagulls avoid landing here! The recording of desperate gulls is incredibly effective.”
Another shared, “In so many ways it has decreased the work and increased the quality of the lighthouse stay!”
The BirdXPeller PRO is a perfect solution for historic buildings like the lighthouse for many reasons, a few of them being: it is a small, weatherproof device that can be installed without changing the appearance or damaging the structure, and it can be used even when property managers are away during off-seasons. The DeTour Reef Lighthouse was the ultimate victor of this battle.
As one worker observed, “Those who have never been here before will never know the miracle of it [BirdXPeller PRO]. Those who have been here before REJOICE and never forget our fight against the seagulls. The battle is won!”
For more information about Bird-X and other ‘green’ bird and pest control solutions, visit www.bird-x.com or call 1-800-662-5021.
About Bird-X, Inc.
Bird-X is the leader in producing humane pest and bird repellent products, since 1964. We offer the most comprehensive line of bird control products that are humane, non-toxic and eco-friendly. Our bird deterrents range from state-of-the-art laser technology to sonic/ultrasonic bird control, goose and pigeon repellents, bird netting, bird spikes, visual scares, and animal sound repellers.
PRESS RELEASE: Pesticides are OUT. ‘Green’ Pest Control is IN.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bird-X changes the pest control industry with ‘green’, humane, eco-friendly solutions.
CHICAGO, IL—Bird-X, Inc., a leader in producing humane pest and bird repellent products since 1964, is raising the bar even higher for the pest control industry, offering ‘green’ solutions for every pest and bird problem. Research shows that, in the long-term, teaching pests to stay away is more effective than killing pests. Plus, avoiding dangerous chemical pesticides and cruel traps is much better for the reputation of the user. It looks like ‘Kill-Trap-Poison’ is no longer the only industry philosophy.
The Risks of Using Pesticides and Traps:
- Exposure to chemical pesticides can result in severe illness and even death
- Chemical pesticides are especially risky when used around children and pets
- Chemical pesticides can compromise the quality/safety of items stored on the premises
- Chemical pesticides pose risks to wildlife and can cause ecological damages
- Pests become resistant to chemical pesticides over time, requiring increased usage
- Killing pests can actually result in population growth (having more food available per pest attracts pests from other areas and increases breeding rates)
- Poisoned pests often crawl into small spaces to die, leaving awful smells in unreachable areas
- Traps leave animal carcasses—or worse, injured and dying animals—on property
- Allegations of poisonings or animal cruelty are a public relations nightmare
- Poisons and traps do nothing to keep pests away…it’s a never-ending battle
For the past few decades, the public has been demanding safer products and ‘green’ alternatives in EVERY industry. Bird-X responded by developing pest and bird control solutions that are humane, eco-friendly and extremely effective. These products protect the users’ property while protecting the environment and its inhabitants as well.
‘Green’ Bird Control
Bird-X offers solutions for every bird problem, every area, and every budget. Exclusion bird netting is designed to protect large areas like warehouse ceilings, rafters, vineyards, and bridges. Bird spikes are ideal for protecting surfaces like rooftops, ledges, and beams. Bird Proof Gel is an almost invisible solution, ideal for high-profile surfaces like window sills, signs, or statues.
Bird-X also offers bird control products that attack the senses, using the birds’ instinctual fear of predators to teach them to stay away for good. Visual scares like 3-D predator replicas are affordable options for large open areas. The Bird Blazer is the world’s first indoor laser bird repellent device. Plus, Bird-X carries an extensive line of sonic (audible) devices that use bird distress calls and predator sounds to deter birds, as well as ultrasonic (silent to humans) devices that emit frequencies to keep pest birds away.
‘Green’ Animal Control
Nature’s Defense All-Purpose Animal Repellent is a wonderful, 100% organic, non-toxic, ‘green’ product that is perfect for homeowners and facility managers. Scientifically tested and proven effective, Nature’s Defense repellent granules create an irritant scent barrier to keep pest animals away from property (deters deer, elk, rabbits, squirrels, mice, rats, moles, chipmunks, gophers, beavers, possums, etc.).
For more information about Bird-X and other ‘green’ bird and pest control solutions, visit www.bird-x.com.
About Bird-X, Inc.
Bird-X is the leader in producing humane pest and bird repellent products, since 1964. We offer the most comprehensive line of bird control products that are eco-friendly, environmentally-safe, non-toxic, and non-harmful. Our bird deterrents range from state-of-the-art laser technology to ultrasonic/sonic bird control, goose and pigeon repellents, bird spikes, bird netting, animal sound repellers, and visual scare repellers.
For more information on our company or to order this product please visit www.bird-x.com or call Bird-X at (800) 662-5021.
Contact:
Chrissy Hansen, Media Correspondent
Bird-X, Inc.
Phone: 312.226.2473
Fax: 312.2262480
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It’s Nesting Season for Canada Geese
Right now, resident Canada geese are settling in for their annual nesting season. They’ve selected their mates, built their nests, and are ready to lay some eggs…hopefully not on your property. Here’s the problem: once geese have ‘moved in’, it’s almost impossible to get them to leave. Imagine if someone came to your house in the middle of the night and tried to convince you to move out, leaving behind all of your comfort, security, resources…AND your children! Would that go over very well? Probably not. That’s pretty much how the geese feel when we try to get them to leave our property during their nesting season.
According to Dr. Phil “Dr. Goose” Whitford’s Calendar of the Goose, the 8—10 week period that follows is molting season (from June to August), when Canada geese gather on and around lakes and ponds to shed their old feathers, and re-grow new ones. Because they are unable to fly during this time, they can only be moved to areas they can reach on foot. New families and non-breeding geese alike move to these molting sites, doing serious damage to the landscape of the areas that they are temporarily inhabiting.
Not-So-Fun Fact: Each Canada goose defecates about 28 times per day!
Bird-X recommends goose-proofing your property before nesting season so that geese learn to take up residence elsewhere. If geese have already nested on your property this year, be prepared to move them in late May—after their eggs have hatched and when molting season is about to begin. Try combining the Bird-X GooseBuster® with some visual scare tactics. The GooseBuster is a sonic speaker system that creates an audio attack using recordings of actual Canada geese alarm, alert and distress calls. Developed using scientific research and field study, the GooseBuster is the most comprehensive goose repeller in the world.
Dr. Goose has a PhD in biological sciences, specializing in animal behavior. He also has BS and MS degrees in wildlife management. The findings from his extensive studies of the Canada goose have been presented in over 100 publications.
Written by Chrissy Hansen—Media Correspondent for Bird-X, Inc.
Bird Strike Facts
In an effort to increase awareness about bird strikes, we at Bird-X are going to be posting a series of bird strikes articles to outline facts, statistics, and prevention methods.
To start, we’ve come across some striking information regarding the damage caused by bird strikes and wildlife strikes.
Bird and Wildlife Strike Facts:
- Over 219 people have been killed world-wide as a result of bird strikes since 1988.
- Bird and other wildlife strikes cost USA civil aviation over $620 million/year, 1990-2007.
- Over 5,000 bird strikes were reported by the U.S. Air Force in 2007.
- Over 7,600 bird and other wildlife strikes were reported for USA civil aircraft in 2007.
- Studies indicate only about 20% of bird strikes to civil aircraft at Part 139-certificated (passenger service) airports in USA are reported. Less than 5% of bird strikes at General Aviation airports are reported.
- From 1990-2004, USA airlines reported 31 incidents in which pilots had to dump fuel to lighten load during a precautionary or emergency landing after striking birds on takeoff or climb. An average of 11,600 gallons of jet fuel was released in each of these dumps.
- Waterfowl (31%), gulls (26%), and raptors (18%) represented 75% of the reported bird strikes causing damage to USA civil aircraft, 1990-2007.
- Over 760 civil aircraft collisions with deer and 250 collisions with coyotes were reported in the USA, 1990-2007.
CritterBlaster Pro Pest Repeller
Bird-X note : Coyotes can be deterred from large areas with Sonic Repellers like the CritterBlaster PRO
- In 1890, about 60 European starlings were released in Central Park, New York City. Starlings are now the second most abundant bird in North America with a late-summer population of over 150 million birds. Starlings are “feathered bullets”, having a body density 27% higher than herring gulls.
- The North American non-migratory Canada goose population increased 3.6 fold from 1 million birds in 1990 to over 3.5 million in 2007. Over 1,400 Canada geese strikes with civil aircraft have been reported in USA, 1990-2007. Over 40% of these strike events involved multiple birds.
- A 12-lb Canada goose struck by a150-mph aircraft at lift-off generates the force of a 1,000-lb weight dropped from a height of 10 feet.
GooseBuster Goose Repeller
- The North American population of greater snow geese increased from about 50,000 birds in 1966 to over 1,000,000 birds in 2007.
*Our product, the GooseBuster PRO (pictured to the right), has been effective in repelling geese from areas up to seven acres per unit.
- The nesting population of bald eagles in the contiguous USA increased from fewer than 400 pairs in 1970 (2 years before DDT and similar chlorinated-hydrocarbon insecticides were banned) to over 11,000 pairs in 2007. Over 100 bald eagle strikes with civil aircraft have been reported in USA, 1990-2007. Mean body mass of bald eagles = 9.1 lbs (male); 11.8 lbs (female).
- The Great Lakes cormorant population increased from only about 200 nesting adults in 1970 to over 260,000 nesting adults in 2006, a 1,000+-fold increase.
- The North American white and brown pelican populations grew at average annual rates of 2.3% and 1.9%, respectively, 1966-2007.
- At least 15,000 gulls were counted nesting on roofs in USA cities on the Great Lakes during a survey in 1994.
- About 90% of all bird strikes in the U.S. are by species federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
*We provide humane, non-lethal solutions to repel birds.
Bird-X is the world leader in bird control solutions. Please view our bird control products page to view our current selection.
Facts and statistics source: http://www.birdstrike.org
View the Bird-X Airport Bird Control System here.
