by Alex A. Kecskes
Some “big-box” department stores have gone to great lengths to get rid of pest birds, especially when they enter the garden department and other interior areas.
One giant retailer even resorted to lethal glue traps to catch pest birds. Unfortunately for the store, an alert customer saw the bird struggling in one of the traps and alerted PETA. The trap happened to be one of many that had been set by a bird-removal contractor to snare pest birds that had flown into the store. PETA staffers rushed to the store and although they were able to remove the bird, which was a protected species, the injuries caused by the trap were fatal and the bird passed away.
When PETA alerted retailer’s headquarters to the incident, the retailer immediately terminated its contract with the bird-removal company. The contract expressly prohibited birds from being harmed during removal. In addition, local animal-control officers ordered the bird-removal contractor to cease using the lethal glue traps. The officers subsequently paid a visit to all the local big-box stores, letting their managers know that the use of lethal glue traps are cruel and that violators would be cited.
Today, there is absolutely no reason to use lethal or cruel bird traps to deter pest birds from commercial property. There are simply too many effective and humane bird control products on the market. Here are just a few:
Bird Spikes…the Ultimate Bird Guard
Ideal for use in the entrances and lofty perch areas of garden departments and other semi-outdoor areas, Bird Spikes deny birds the landing zones they need to observe before they swoop down and annoy workers and customers. The spike strips come in stainless steel spikes or plastic. Stainless steel versions come in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths; the plastic spikes are a tad more economical and come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths. Plastic spikes offer the added advantage of coming in a full range of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and even crystal clear. Custom colors are also available. Humane and highly effective, both types are easy to install--using screws, nails or glue--and require no maintenance.
Bird Proofing with Bird Netting
To block out pest birds from specific areas of a big box store or other commercial property, consider this tried and true bird deterrent. Installed properly, Bird Netting physically excludes a wide range pest birds without harming them.
For really rugged bird netting that will last for years, there’s Heavy-Duty Polyethylene Bird Netting. Fabricated using a U.V. -stabilized mesh, this netting is available in various sizes and custom cuts. Current sizes include a 2-inch mesh, 1 1/8-inch mesh, and 3/4-inch mesh. For pigeons, gulls and crows, you would lean toward the larger mesh sizes; for smaller birds like starlings, opt for the 3/4-inch mesh netting.
Heavy Duty Poly Netting is ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested, flame resistant and rot- and waterproof. What makes this netting so tough is that it has 6 monofilaments, each12/1000s of an inch thick. The monofilaments are entwined to create a tough net with 160-200 twists per meter.
They Won’t Hang Around on Bird Wire
Another effective low-profile bird control measure, Bird Wire keeps birds off ledges, parapet walls, rooflines, signs, and all those lofty beams inside your store. Safe and humane, bird wire systems consist of nylon-coated stainless steel wires suspended by poles. Attached to springs, the wires create a super wobbly landing perch that birds can’t stand, so they leave. Bird wire systems are ideal for deterring large pest birds--like pigeons, crows and gulls. They are approved for use on Federal and State Government Structures, however they should not be used in areas where birds have been nesting.
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