NUISANCE BIRDS AND THE HEALTH RISKS

By definition, Canadian Geese are not classified as pest birds and are afforded protection by federal and state agencies. Nonetheless, Canadian Geese are increasingly becoming the scourge of suburbia as their numbers have grown in the past decade from only a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of these birds.

Canada Geese are large water birds with a long neck, large body, large webbed feet, and a wide, flat bill. They have a black head with white cheeks and chinstrap, black neck, tan breast, and brown back. With a wingspan from 4.2 to 6.1 feet, they can weight up to 14 pounds.  The familiar V shaped squadron of honking geese heading south is becoming a rare sight. Country clubs and business parks offer tasty manicured lawns and ponds providing an ideal habitat and effectively modifying their migration cycle. Geese are very opportunistic and easily exploit the new “easy living” conditions found in an urban environment.

The Canada Goose can quickly become a problem to any homeowner, property owner, golf course groundskeeper or park superintendent. Each year the Canada Geese usually migrate north to Canada and the northern USA where it breeds in a variety of habitats.

In Arizona with the nice weather more often times the geese decide to stay and use your property as their breeding site and grazing site. They can soon destroy your lawn, contaminate your pond, make playing golf or make your property downright dangerous to walk on.

Types of Goose Deterrents

Did you know that geese often sleep with one or both of their eyes open? They can shut off half of their brain to sleep while the other half is aware of their surroundings. The Away With Geese unit that we some time use emits a pulse of amber light every 2-3 seconds that puts the geese on high alert and disrupts their ability to sleep. This permanently alters the feel of the habitat. Because geese like to sleep in the same area that they inhabit during the day, they will soon choose to leave and find a new habitat that allows them to rest, leaving your property goose free.

Other options we have available are products like Liquid Goose Deterrents which uses the sense of taste to get rid of the geese. This is made using methyl anthranilate, a grape extract that is sprayed on the lawn to give it a flavor that the geese do not like. This substance irritates the goose’s trigeminal nerves and mucous membranes and causes them to leave the area searching for a better grazing site but needs to be applied often.

Sound, visual and light goose deterrents can be used in tandem with the liquid goose deterrents to keep geese off areas that they are a problem. Sound deterrents and predator calls heard by the geese may cause them to leave the area for a safer spot. Coyote decoys are also effective in scaring geese away. The coyote is a natural predator of geese. They love to go after the eggs and goslings of a mating pair; using the coyote decoys on your lawn will trigger the instinct of fear and the geese will leave for a safer home.

Physical barriers such as overhead grid wire (.96mm) and 4″ mesh net can be extremely effective barriers but are site specific. These grids can be installed above water surface to prevent landing. Fencing made of grid wire provides a discrete barrier to dissuade geese from entering property (especially from water areas) and can be electrified for increased effectiveness.

Feral Pigeons (Columbia Livia) are the number one urban pest bird, causing damage where ever they nest or roost. Pigeons are descendants of domesticated European Homing Pigeons or Rock Doves, so they have a varied diet and feel at ease making their homes in man-made structures, they also lay 2 – 3 eggs every 3 or 4 months all year long in Arizona.

Fun Fact; Did you know that pigeons poop around 47 – 51 times a day?

Pigeons and other pest birds have been known to carry as many as 60 transmittable diseases and they often play host to 40 or more parasites. Needless to say, these birds can be the cause of major health issues over time wherever they go.

Generally blue-grey in color, with iridescent feathers on the head and neck, pigeons often have markings in black, white, or brown on the wings and neck. A short neck and small head characterize the standard pigeon; their short legs, hind toes, and level front allow for easy perching on pipes and ledges or walking on flat surfaces. Pigeons generally nest in small, flat areas away from the ground such as building ledges, air conditioning units, roof line overhangs, solar panels or even wide window sills.

Pigeon Control Methods

The best solution for pigeon problems, is complete exclusion with a 2″ or smaller mesh net. Many ledge problems, however, can be solved by using products such as Bird Coil, Bird Wire, Bird Spikes, Bird ledge slope as well as Bird-Shock Electric Track and FlockOff. Solar panels and small roof overhangs can be screened off using using a long lasting, galvanized metal screen or netting – check out or list of bird deterrent products.

When bird pressure is heavy in an area, exclusion work must be accompanied by flock dispersal methods like trapping . Flock dispersal alone is not a long term solution especially in medium-heavy pressure situations when there are food, water, and shelter sources at the site.

Like the House Sparrow, the Starling was introduced from Europe in the 19th century. However, it did not spread as fast and only reached the western coast within the last few decades.

Starlings are relatively small birds, weighing about 3.2 ounces and are typically 8.5 inches long. Adults are dark with light speckles on the feathers. They prefer to nest in buildings and structures, grazed pastures, open water areas, and livestock facilities for foraging. Starlings will eat fruits, seeds, livestock rations and food in garbage open garbage containers. Winter-roosting flocks can be massive, exceeding 1 million birds in some cases.

Why Starling Bird Control?

Starlings often consume the high-protein supplements that have been added to livestock rations. These birds can transfer diseases from one livestock facility to another. The fungus Histoplasma capsulatum may grow in the soils under their roosts, and spores may go airborne in dry weather. Starlings have been known to damage golf course and other turfs areas around homes or commercial centers. And large roosts in buildings and industrial structures leave filth, noise, and odor. Their wet or damp droppings create slip-and –fall hazards at industrial structures, and large roosts near airports pose bird-strike safety hazards to aircraft.

There are several humane options for deterring starlings from landing or nesting on your property. It’s important to thoroughly clean up any bird droppings or nesting materials before any deterrent products are installed as starlings are attracted to the scent of their droppings and nests.

• Starlings can be blocked from rafters or beams with ¾” or 1 1/8” Bird Netting, or Bird Ledge Slope alongside wall ledges where they nest.
• Bird Shock Track, Holographic Bird Reflectors or sometimes the messy Bird Gels can be used to help reduce or prevent starlings from landing on ledges.

Remove Food Sources

• Starlings many times are attracted to your garden, lawn area for grubs and insects or your bird feeders as a food source.
• Restaurants should remove leftover food on the floor and tables of open-air eateries. Tightly close all trash or dumpster containers.
• Starlings are ground foragers eating invertebrates, insects, berries and seeds. It may be difficult to remove any food sources unless they are feeding in a concentrated area.

Scare Tactics

• Create a visual distraction zone by setting up deterrents such as the Reflect-A-Bird, Predator Eye Balloons, Reflective Eye Diverters or shiny reflective objects can be hung in trees to scare off starlings.
• Hawks are a natural predator of starlings. Use the Hawk Decoy in gardens, patios, balconies and other open spaces to scare sparrows away.
• To deter or disperse starlings from trees, use the Bird Chase Super Sonic, a weatherproof sound deterrent designed for large open spaces.
• Sound deterrents alert starlings of nearby danger by broadcasting predator and sparrow distress calls, making them want to flee the area.

These sleek little birds are well known for their long migration and nesting habits. Cliff and Barn Swallows spend their winters in South America and summers in North America. They arrive around March in the southern part of the country, reaching the northern states in April. Swallows are very territorial and will always come back to the same nesting site. Swallows have made a very successful switch from cliffs and caves to man made structures for placement of their mud pellet nests.

Swallows can be a nuisance in suburban areas due to their nesting habits. The mud nests damage and deface the outer walls and eaves of residences and office buildings. Building sides often end up smeared with feces from the bird colony along with collecting on the ground. Homeowners have also reported problems with parasites entering the house through building cracks next to the nests which poses a potential health risk to humans and animals.

Cliff and Barn Swallow Control Methods

All swallows enjoy special protection under the law. You cannot disturb them once they lay their eggs in the nest. The only way to eliminate swallow problems is to take down the nests in the winter after they are gone and exclude them from returning by using 3/4″ net. The 3/4″ netting needs to be angled across the eaves to prevent access to any sharp building angles or where the wall and ceiling come together. Bird Slide or Slope installed upside down has also shown good results as it eliminates the sharp angles needed for swallows to build nests. FlockOff systems have also been proving successful in deterring swallows from nesting.

The Common Crow is a big, black colored bird approximately 17 to 20 inches long with a strong stout build and a compressed bill. They have a scavenger diet and will eat a wide variety of things. Such food items include insects, frogs, small snakes, eggs, mice, and dead animal carcasses. Crows will also eat newly planted crops such as corn. They will travel as far as 40 miles from evening roost sites to daytime feeding areas.

Crows are well known for their intelligence. They are social birds and the flock is in constant communication making hunting or capture of the bird very difficult. The crow’s native history along with its helpful bug eating habits has insured its federally protected status.

Why Crow Control?

In cities and towns, crows are responsible for considerable damage to property and vehicles. Their sharp beaks peck the seals around sunroofs and windows and at the rubber on windshield wiper blades. They can also damage roofing tiles and shingles.

Large flocks near wetland areas may spread waterfowl diseases such as avian cholera. Crow roosts that have been in place for several years may harbor the fungus (Histoplasma capsulatum) that causes histoplasmosis, a disease that can infect people who breathe in spores when a roost is disturbed.

Crow Control Methods

There are several humane options for deterring crows from landing or nesting on your property. It’s important to thoroughly clean up any bird droppings or nesting materials before any deterrent products are installed (crows are attracted to the scent of their droppings and nests). Crows live in tight knit communities that work together to defend their territories. They may choose a high point on your home or building as a lookout point.

They can be kept off ledges using FlockOff systems, 5″ Bird Coil, Bird Spikes Tall, or Bird-Shock electric track, 2″ exclusion net will also exclude crows completely from most areas. It is sometimes possible to drive away large flocks of crows and other blackbirds with audio/visual scare devices such as the Bird-Gard unit combined with visual scare devices like Scare Eye Balloons. To maximize effectiveness, hang visual products in trees before commencing noise campaign.

Woodpeckers primarily feed on wood-boring insects using their strong beak and long tongue to dislodge food. Some members of the Woodpecker Family (Flickers) feed on insects of the ground, while others prefer native berries, fruits, and nuts.

Arizona has woodpeckers called Gila Woodpeckers and they are protected by law from shooting or trapping without a special permit from the Fish & Game Department. It is commonly known that woodpeckers peck into wood. They do this for a several reasons: to search for food, as a mating call, to establish territory, and to build a nest. Woodpeckers have characteristic calls, but they also use a rhythmic pecking sequence to make their presence known. This is known as drumming which establishes their territories and hopefully will attract a mate.

Gila Woodpecker Control Methods

The most effective control method is 3/4″ net that can be installed in a semi-permanent configuration over the area they are pecking at until nesting behavior has been permanently modified. Alternatively the combination of scare devices that we use the most of in Arizona is the Intimidator and sometimes other reflective streamers used together work often enough without warranting stronger methods.

Reflectors like the Intimidators are prone to high winds tearing them off as they are designed to move with the slightest breeze. Taste deterrents like the Protective Coating Spray, Hole Filler, or Paint Additive combination used back east where the woodpeckers are pecking into wood and not the bitter cactus in Arizona just don’t seem to work for the Arizona Gila Woodpecker.

The House Sparrow is the number two urban pest bird. Introduced as a species to North America, the house sparrow quickly spread across the country due to its lack of natural enemies and its adaptive traits. Its ability to nest in urban structures, eat urban scraps, and a large breeding capacity are some of these adaptive traits.

The House Sparrow is actually a member of the Weaverbird family and not a true Sparrow. Weaverbirds create intricate nests and relative to their size, the largest nests in the bird world. Their legs and toes are favored for branch perching and their short conical bills are ideal for seed cracking.

Their diet consists of seeds, grain, fruits, vegetables, human table scraps, insects and other baby birds. They are boisterous, intelligent birds who roost in noisy flocks on branches of city trees, ivy covered walls, and under

eaves of houses.

Sparrow Control Methods

The most effective method of control is to exclude sparrows from the area with 3/4″ net, making sure there are no gaps or crevices for the birds to pass through. The only ledge deterrent systems that are truly effective against sparrows are electrified ledge systems that use an intermittent pulse like Bird-Shock or Optical Gel.

New 2-chambered sparrow traps are quite effective at trapping small quantities of sparrows. The best trap has an elevated second chamber that keeps the birds happy and so content that they actually sing, attracting others to the trap. When practical, a trapping program should be combined with a nest removal program that will greatly reduce the population over time. Along with trapping, mist nets can be installed in the flight paths by certified personnel to capture these birds in enclosed areas. A new technique that has found some success for moving populations is to fog problem areas with RejeX-it. This method is most commonly applied when sparrows gather in flocks. Sparrows generally do not react to audio and visual products except occasionally in areas to which they are not very committed (new to area).

The Turkey Vulture does not win any beauty contests. The birds’ shape and head look similar to a turkey, with a red head and dark body feathers.

This large bird lives all across the U.S. The small featherless head is ideal for foraging inside of dead animals such as deer, raccoons, and cattle. They generally hunt their prey by hovering about 200 feet above the ground.

Although the Turkey Vulture generally migrates, it may stay put during our mild winters. They generally live over open plains, desert, or forest. Groups of twenty or more may roost in trees and towers, and leave when the warm, rising air makes it easier to fly.

Turkey Vulture Control Methods

All members of the Vulture Family are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty. This is a heavy, aggressive bird that can literally destroy many standard control products. The most effective methods of control are electrified heavy duty wire systems like Bird Fence (call our offices for more details on this product)  FlockOff or Bird-Shock electric track products.

Grackles are boisterous, abundant members of the Troupial Family. The common grackle has a green,blue, or purple iridescent tinted black plumage with a glossy purplish head, neck, and breast with the female of the species, slightly smaller and duller colored.

Grackles can cause several types of damage. As they are scavenging birds, large numbers can be found at dumpsters, food courts, and other human areas where food is present. The resulting amount of fecal matter creates unsanitary conditions and can result in physical damage from the uric acid. They are also an agricultural pest bird because they will eat small seedlings and damage crops.

Grackle Control Methods

There are numerous products and techniques available to combat nuisance grackles. Like with other members of the blackbird family, noisemaker units like Bird-Gard, Bird Squawker, and Bird Wailer units projecting natural distress calls and frightening sounds (selection of units depends on size of area to deter birds as well as severity of problem) can sometimes be effective in moving them from a site. If they are too entrenched to be scared away, exclusion using 1-1/8″ net or Bird-Shock track on ledges may be necessary. Grackles are too nimble for traditional mechanical ledge products. Fogging a roosting winter flock with RejeX-it irritant has also shown some success.