When Beautiful Birds Become Ugly Pests
New Jersey, notwithstanding that it is one of the smaller states with under 8,000 square miles, has a remarkable diversity of birdlife. And because of our geographical location as a mid-Atlantic coastal state, we attract an abundance of ducks, skuas, skimmers, geese, shorebirds, gulls, terns, boobies, gannets, and other water-associated species.
Unfortunately, New Jersey also has our fair share of “pest” species such as pigeons that have thrived in human habitats with a virtually unlimited food supply and no natural predators. Their overpopulation has caused a range of problems. Unfortunately, for many, pigeons have become the avian equivalent of city rodents that have been called every name in the book -- from rats with wings and sky rats to gutter birds and flying ashtrays.
Pest birds can destroy property and be a serious health hazard. Droppings can discolor paint, stain wood, and is acidic enough to erode metal and dissolve paint and car finishes. It can even cause concrete and expensive stonework to crumble. Birds can cause extensive damage to buildings, ventilation systems, and machinery. Birds building nests in rain gutters can cause water backup that can lead to dangerous and costly structural damage.
Droppings can carry bacteria and diseases that can cause serious health risks and exposure to diseases, some of which are incurable. It is most dangerous when it is airborne and inhaled. Disturbing dried guano releases infection-carrying spores into the air. A sampling of bird-transmitted diseases includes histoplasmosis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, blastomycosis, salmonellosis, Paratyphoid Fever, viral meningitis, and encephalitis. There are no cures for several of these infections, only symptom-reducing treatment that must be taken indefinitely.
Bird control is primarily about bird removal and exclusion through various deterrents. The types of deterrents available can be classified as physical, visual, or auditory. The optimal choice of deterrents depends on a variety of factors including the species of bird, the type of structure, and the level of bird activity. When it comes to bird control, there is no one-fit solution. We have the experience to devise the most cost-effective strategies that will work.
Physical barrier deterrents are usually the most effective long-term deterrents and just as important, no harm comes to the birds. We look to make your home or building an inhospitable place for birds to land, roost, or nest so they move to another location. The more common physical deterrents to manipulate bird habitat are bird control spikes, nettings, post and wire deterrents, slopes, and shock tracks. Anti-roosting spikes are blunt spikes that reduce the area available for birds to land on, these force larger varieties of birds such as seagulls, pigeons, crows, and vultures to land elsewhere. Bird netting and post/wire deterrents exclude pest birds from all types of openings and structures to land on. Bird slopes are slippery PVC panels with steep edges that don’t allow birds to get a grip. Shock tracks are low-profile deterrents that teach birds to keep off ledges and roof areas. A major part of effective long-term bird control is behavior modification.
In addition to these construction-oriented solutions, there are visual and auditory “scare” deterrents/repellers. Visual deterrents range from heli-kites that emulate hawks in flight to reflective windmills that flash UV lights. Auditory deterrents are generally reserved for farms and rural areas since your neighbors may not appreciate listening to a propane bird scare cannon blasting in your backyard from dawn to dusk.
