Bird Exclusion for Sparrows in Lincroft, NJ

Challenge

I was assigned to handle a large bird nuisance problem for one of our commercial customers in Lincroft. When I arrived on scene, I immediately noticed a large number of sparrows flying about. Sparrows are European birds that were misguidedly brought into the United States in the mid-1800s, and they have become a major headache ever since. With their rapid growth and aggressive competition with other species, sparrows are one of the more common nuisance birds that we deal with at Bird Solutions By Cowleys, right up there with pigeons and starlings.

Sparrows were flying rampant over this property in Lincroft. Especially worrisome was that they were flying into and out of the gable vents leading into the attic. I knew this structure well, and the attic housed all of the heating/AC lines. There is always a problem once birds enter ductwork and HVAC equipment. These birds are capable of causing a lot of damage, especially to insulation. Also, if ducts are used as roosting areas, their droppings and feathers will create a hazardous, unsanitary, and not to mention, terribly pungent situation.

I entered the attic, and because of my understanding of sparrow behavior, knew exactly where to look. Sure enough, there were nests all over the duct work.

Solution

I grabbed my gear, including our HEPA filter vacuum and a sterilizing product. With bird control, after removing the nest, it is important to sterilize the area. Bird droppings are infested with bacteria, viruses, and parasites responsible for a long list of diseases that can be transmitted to people. Once the interior was cleaned and sterilized, I sealed the entry points so the birds could not reenter the building. Exclusion is critical with bird control because birds instinctively return to the same location. With this job, I covered the exterior gable vents with metal screening, and for aesthetics, I painted the screens white to blend in with the building. Whenever possible, I try to make the exclusion "invisible" with no change in the outward appearance of the building.