Bird Control for Military Installations

by Alex A. Kecskes

The Army Corp of Engineers recently built a new Defense Distribution Depot at Pearl Harbor. The building was designed to store a variety of materials and goods the military needs for various operations in the area.
 
Recognizing that other military airplane hangars and warehouses had pigeon problems, the Army decided to be proactive when it came to pigeon control. They knew that the traditional cross-beam structures used in hangars and warehouses presented an attraction to pigeons looking for a place to roost and nest. To circumvent a costly pigeon problem, the Army included bird barriers in the form of pigeon and bird control netting in its design of the new depot. Netting effectively blocks birds from the entire area, forcing them to find other areas to perch, roost and nest.

Pigeon control netting was installed across the entire ceiling of the new warehouse, which excluded pigeons from the support beams. The 3/4" mesh netting was supported by a cabling system, and care had to be taken to ensure that the netting was correctly tensioned. Improperly tensioned netting would have left gaps large enough for pigeons to squeeze through. Boom lifts were used to properly install the netting so it wouldn’t rip or tear. Bird net zippers were installed in the horizontal bird net surface to allow maintenance crews access to lighting fixtures.

One of the most effective pigeon control products available, bird netting comes in various sizes to exclude different bird species. The 3/4-inch mesh size excludes everything from pigeons to sparrows. Better bird netting consists of twisted and knotted polyethylene twine designed to last 10 years or more. Netting now comes in various colors, making it nearly invisible from ground level.

Once installed, the new Defense Distribution Depot was protected from the nuisance and expense of pigeons. The high tech equipment and supplies in this warehouse would not be vulnerable to the damaging effects of pigeon droppings. 

There are hundreds of military bases across the U.S. Each can fall victim to the damage and defacement caused by pest birds. The uric acid in bird droppings can damage electronics, machinery, engine parts, weapons and explosives. Damage to these things can be very expensive, something today’s tight military budgets can ill afford.

Unless effective bird proofing measures are implemented, military buildings, depots and structures will be vulnerable to pest bird infestations. Pest birds can also create fire hazards with their accumulation of nesting materials and feathers—these combine to make excellent kindling.  Bird droppings carry diseases that can impact a military installation’s manpower readiness.  Cleaning up dried bird droppings can be expensive, since cautions must be taken in the form of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Last but not least are the slip-and-fall hazards bird droppings create on warehouse floors and air hangars.

In addition, to bird netting, there are a number of other bird proofing devices that can be used to repel pest birds from military installations. Just as popular as bird netting are Bird Spikes. Used to keep pest birds away from the White House, bird spikes prevent birds from landing on or near them. Harmless to birds and installation crews, bird spikes come in strong, rigid unbreakable polycarbonate or flexible stainless steel. They are easy to install on most any surface using nails, screws or glue. For really large birds like seagulls, cormorants, turkey vultures and raptors, there’s the Mega Spike, which features 7-inch spikes of marine-grade stainless steel. To keep pest birds out of rain gutters and spouts, consider using the Gutter Spike. It’s specially designed to keep pigeons and other large birds out of these commonly infested areas.

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How To Install Bird Gel

by Alex A. Kecskes

One of the most effective pest bird deterrents currently on the market is a product known as Transparent Bird Gel. This sticky non-toxic gel was specifically designed to keep pest birds from roosting and nesting on horizontal surfaces. It is a very low-profile bird deterrent that is virtually invisible.  Yet once pest birds land on it and take a few steps, it’s bye-bye birdie. They can’t stand the stuff because it makes them feel trapped.

Ideal for use against small and large pest birds--including pigeons, sparrows, crows, gulls and starlings--bird gel discourages pest birds wherever they tend to gather. The gel can be used on indoor and outdoor areas, including ledges, I-beams, parapet walls, signs, and dozens of other flat surfaces.

Bird gel is sold in a standard 10-ounce caulking tube, and it comes 12 tubes per case. Each gel tube can effectively treat an area approximately 10 feet long by 3 inches wide. To apply bird gel, use a standard caulking gun and spread it on the surface in a zig-zag pattern. Be sure to leave periodic spaces for water drainage. Non-toxic to birds, people and pets, bird gel stays sticky and effective for up to six months outdoors. It remains effective throughout a wide temperature range, too—from 15F – 200F. Suitable for most applications, these gels should not be used where birds have been nesting.

Before installing any bird deterrents, the surface should be clean and dry. Be sure to thoroughly remove bird droppings, feathers and all nesting materials. Birds are attracted to this debris and will consider the area a “welcome” site. Use commercial disinfecting cleaning agents to prevent exposure to any of the 60 known airborne diseases caused by birds. Use eye and respiratory protection if the area is heavily contaminated with droppings. When ready to install the gel, put painter’s tape down to protect surfaces. To remove the gel, use mineral spirits available at most local hardware stores.

For additional advice on how to properly install bird deterrents, consult an expert like the folks at Bird-B-Gone.

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Window Washing Companies Adding Bird Control

By Alex A. Kecskes

More window cleaners are adding bird control to their list of services and doing quite well at it. Add-on services are ideal for all window cleaners.  It’s rare to find a window cleaning company that only offers window cleaning service.  Most companies offer at least 2 or 3 add-on services. Adding bird control services to a window cleaning company’s offerings can fatten service contracts, especially when the client must comply with public health codes to operate—like restaurants.

One window cleaning service in California, recently added bird control and gutter cleanups to their repertoire of services.  They found the add-ons to be lucrative and a real business booster. The company pressure washes gutters and downspouts to clear out leaves and bird debris. The add-on services represent as much as 40 percent of the company’s overall business, with bird control being among the fastest growing areas. The company notes that selling clients on added services is fairly straightforward, since clients who are particular about clean glass want to avoid pest birds and their droppings.

Commercial window cleaning companies are realizing that pigeons and other pest birds can create a messy situation. A single mating pair of pigeons, for example, can quickly turn into a small flock, and in a year or so, they can cover a commercial building with unsightly droppings. To make matters worse, pigeons and many pest birds seem to be attracted to the scent of their droppings.

Pest bird droppings left on windows can carry a variety of diseases. Pigeons, for example, carry Ornithosis (psittacosis), Encephalitis, Newcastle disease, Toxoplasmosis, Salmonella food poisoning and other diseases. More customers are becoming aware of these diseases carried by pest birds, which is why more are asking about effective bird control when they contract to have their windows cleaned.

Besides the health hazards pest birds pose, window washers are hearing from their customers that bird droppings are slippery and can create slip-and-fall hazards, a liability they would rather avoid.

If you want to add a profitable new service to your window cleaning business, consider these two popular bird control products:

Electric-Tracks. Birds get a harmless “zap” the second they land on these electrified bird control tracks. Ideal for most pest birds, these tracks will even discourage seagulls and larger birds from landing on window ledges and rooftops. They are easily installed on any flat or curved surface. The jolt imparted by these tracks tends to permanently "persuade" pest birds to change their habits and find a more hospitable ledge or rooftop. For customers concerned about aesthetics, one of the best electric tracks is a low-profile model that’s virtually invisible from the ground. It measures just 1/2-inch high by 1-3/4-inch wide and comes in 100-foot rolls. The track is available in four colors: grey, stone, black and terracotta. It’s made from a flexible U.V.-protected PVC base that can easily conform to curved or straight surfaces. For added convenience, the track can be powered by an A.C. charger or solar charger. The best electric tracks have a flow-through design to prevent water from damming up around them. Consider offering a corrosion-resistant track, which will stand up to tough alkali and acidic environments.

Bird Spikes. An ideal bird control device, bird spikes prevent birds large and small from landing on rooftops and windowsills. They come in either rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or high strength, durable stainless steel. The spikes won't harm birds or work crews. In fact, they've been approved by a number of humane groups worldwide--including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service). For customers are concerned about aesthetics, bird spikes come in various colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. They’re easy to install with glue, screws or nails. One manufacturer even offers a no-gap spike that's easy to mount on curved surfaces.

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Bird Control for Today’s Building Managers

By Alex A. Kecskes

Pest birds can be a real nuisance for today’s building managers. If you manage a building or other commercial property, you’ve undoubtedly experienced many of the problems birds can cause.

Birds have a nasty habit of making themselves at home in and around rooftop AC units, ducting, ventilators and antenna structures. The same holds true for ledges and parapet walls. Birds just can’t resist perching on these areas and nesting near them. It’s safe, and chances are, there’s a dipsy-dumpster below that’s usually filled with garbage they can feast on. Pest bird nests and droppings can block skylights and solar panels, which you have to keep clean.

Without effective bird control measures, you’re continually faced with expensive and repetitive clean-ups. These clean ups can get complicated because bird droppings can contain any number of diseases. Clean up crews must be properly protected, which raises the cost of cleanups.

So what can you do to protect your building from this expensive nuisance? Plenty.

Today, you can avail yourself of a number of humane and highly effective bird control devices.

You could start by installing a tried and true bird deterrent called a Bird Spike. Ideal for use against medium to large size birds like pigeons, bird spikes are easily installed on rooftops, parapet walls and ledges.  They get the job done because birds just can’t get their wings around them to land. And they’re easy to install because they can be glued, nailed or screwed onto most surfaces. So you won’t need a special crew to mount them. You can also choose from a number of bird spike options: rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate spikes or high strength, durable stainless steel. The less expensive poly bird spikes are ideal for use around RF or cell phone antennas, since they won’t interfere with radio frequency transmissions.

If the owner of the building you manage is concerned about the appearance of bird spikes, you can assuage his or her concerns with the fact that bird spikes now come in various colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. You can even get bird spikes with a non-reflective metal finish. For best bird control, the spiked strips should be installed so that no gaps remain for birds to squeeze through.

Another effective bird control measure is No Knot Bird Netting. This netting is specifically designed to exclude pest birds from the areas they like most—around AC units, ducting and other rooftop areas. The best bird netting is fabricated of flame resistant polypropylene, chemically inert and highly resistant to many chemicals and temperature extremes. Good netting won’t rot, absorb water, or mildew. When buying netting, look for products that are ISO 1806 Protocol Mesh Tested and U.V. stabilized. 

For buildings that are vulnerable to pigeons, sparrows, starlings, crows and gulls, No Knot Bird Netting will keep them out. You can order this netting in a number of stock sizes and custom cuts--including 2- and 3/4-inch mesh. The netting is light, handles easily and is easy to install. Once again, if your building owner is concerned about the aesthetics of this bird control approach, the netting comes in several different colors--including white, stone and black.

If your building has a problem with bats, you could look into getting some Bat Netting. This heavy-duty netting keeps out these annoying birds without harming them. The best bat netting is U.V. protected with a 3/8-inch mesh. You can get it in different sizes too--typically 10’x10’, 25’x25’, 50’x50’, and 50'x100'.

Bird netting is easy to install and relatively maintenance free. When installing bird netting, make sure you properly seal off any openings around the edges, nooks and other areas where pest birds could work their way in.

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Bird Guards to Keep Pest Birds Away

by Fran Prisco

When pest birds are occupying your building, how do you keep them away?  Installing humane bird guards is the answer.  Birds like sparrows, starlings and pigeons are often found landing, roosting and nesting on or near office buildings in any large city.  These birds are known as pest birds because of the damage and health risks they impose.  Not only do their nesting activities cause damage to buildings, so do their droppings.  Bird droppings are acidic and can quickly erode building materials costing building owners thousands to repair.  The droppings left behind by birds can also be a health hazard; carrying any of 60 plus communicable diseases.  Bird roosts can also harbor parasites and flees that can easily invade buildings. 

Cleaning Up Bird Droppings

It is important that safety precautions are taken when cleaning up bird droppings and debris.

• During the cleanup, seal heating and cooling air ducts or shut the system down. Only authorized cleanup personnel should be present.
• Healthy individuals should do the cleanup.
• Wear a respirator that can filter particles as small as 0.3 microns.
• Wear disposable protective gloves, hat, coveralls and shoe coverings.
• Moisten the droppings with a light mist of water to keep spores from becoming airborne and keep them wet.
• Put droppings into sealed plastic garbage bags.
• When finished and while still wearing the respirator, remove protective clothing and place it in a plastic bag.
• Wash or shower.
• Check with local government agencies to verify that disposal of the waste is permissible through standard trash pickup.

Bird Control for the Roofing Industry

by Fran Prisco

Roofs have become the favorite roosting and nesting spot of pest birds in both cities and suburbs across the nation.  Each year thousands are spent to cleanup and repair the damage caused by pest birds such as pigeons, seagulls and starlings to rooftops.  It can often be quite a challenge to get rid of birds from roof areas such as the roof edge, parapet wall and rooftop A.C. Units.   The best way to get rid of birds is to use some sort of physical bird deterrent.

Before installing any bird control system it is important to do a thorough clean up of the effected area.  Be sure all of the debris and droppings left behind by the pest birds is cleaned.  It is best to power wash or spray bird droppings down and remove them while wet.  Dried bird droppings can cause dust which when breathed in may carry any of 60 plus communicable diseases.   Bird Droppings are also acidic and can quickly erode building and roofing materials, not to mention that they are a safety hazard on sidewalks, causing slip and fall accidents.

Bird Deterrents for Roofs

Bird Spikes:

When large birds like pigeons and gulls are landing and roosting on roof edges, peaks and parapet walls, the bird spike is the most affordable and effective bird deterrent.  Bird spikes come in plastic or stainless steel.   Bird spikes are easily installed using adhesive, screws or tie downs.  When installing spikes on peaked roofs, it is best to put them on the roof edges and peaks, as that is where the birds will land first before exploring the rest of the roof.

Electric Bird Tracks:

Electric bird deterrent tracks are ideal for use on roof edges and parapet walls.  The flat tracks are easy to install with adhesive and will work with all types of bird species.  The electric shock systems give birds a mild jolt when they make contact with the track, changing the birds landing and roosting behaviors.  The best electric bird deterrents are those that are low profile and will not allow water to dam around them.  Using a direct plug in charger or a solar charger charges these systems.  Once installed, the electric tracks are easy to maintain and virtually invisible.

Bird Spiders:

When large birds are landing, roosting or nesting on rooftop A.C. units or ventilation systems, the bird spider is an ideal bird deterrent to use.  The bird spider has eight “arms” that wiggle in the breeze causing birds to land in other areas.  The bird spiders come in different diameters; from 2 foot to 8 foot in size.  Screws or adhesive easily installs them.  The bird spider is an effective method to get rid of birds on rooftops.

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Bird control…when you open your boat for summer

 by Alex A. Kecskes

So you’re about to open your boat for the summer. You look up and see gulls circling, just waiting to plop a few choice deposits on your clean deck and shiny polished railings. It's bad enough you have to clean pounds of poop off your canvas covers, but now you'll have to worry about bird droppings all over your antenna and radar gear, windows and portholes, sheets and cleats. Without effective bird control measures, your boat's as vulnerable as a bait shack.

You know from experience that seagulls, cormorants, and pigeons enjoy perching on masts, spreaders and canvases. You also learned that the high concentration of uric acid-- found to be even higher in sea birds--could discolor paint, stain canvases and eventually erode steel. And who can ignore the health risks of bacteria and parasites that live and grow in bird droppings? They can carry any of 60 known diseases. Bird control is an investment that will save you time, money and a lot of aggravation.

Lucky for you, there are all sorts of effective bird control products for boats. All are easy to install and basically maintenance free. Here are just a few you might look into to protect you boat.

Bird Spiders

Ideal for use on decks, rooftops, and other flat surfaces, bird spiders have stainless steel “arms” that whip around in the breeze to keep pest birds from landing. Spiders come in various sizes--usually 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to cover large areas and deter a wide variety of birds. An effective bird control device against pigeons, seagulls, and larger birds, spiders have no moving parts to wear out.

The best bird spiders have a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. One manufacturer's bird spider comes pre-assembled and ready to place or mount. Most spiders come standard with a glue-on base, so they can be glued down to most surfaces. You can also get spiders with railing mounts for easy attachment to boat rails. Other attachments include a removable sand bag base that allows spiders to be used on boat canvas and Biminis, and a variety of optional boat bases that allow the spider to be used on masts and radar units. As a bird control device, bird spiders are ideal for use in areas where large flocks of pest birds have become a particularly irksome.

Solar Powered Bird Repellers

What a novel idea: use the sun's power to whisk away pest birds. Solar powered bird repellers have long blades that whip around to discourage seagulls, pigeons, and crows from landing on your boat. Some repellers even have adjustable “arms” that cover up to 5 feet in diameter and turn continuously at 30 RPM. Better systems can store the sun's converted electrical energy and tap into it to turn the repeller's arms throughout the night or during overcast days. And yes, bird repellers are harmless to birds.

Bird Spikes

Used by boat owners and marina facilities managers around the globe. Bird spikes are highly effective bird control devices for use against pigeons, seagulls and larger birds. They can keep these pests from landing on masts, towers and other areas of a vessel. You can get them in either rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or high strength, durable stainless steel. The spikes look like a porcupine on steroids, but they're harmless to birds and people. In fact, bird spikes have been approved by a number of humane groups worldwide--including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service).

Stainless steel spikes typically come in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths, and their non-reflective metal finish makes them virtually invisible when installed. Bird spikes even come in a variety of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear.  The plastic spikes come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths and are ideal for use on masts and radar units because there are no EM interference problems with plastic. One manufacturer even sells a no-gap spike that's easy to mount on curved surfaces.

Banners, FlashTape, Balloons

Birds of any kind don't really like to be around bright flapping things that whip around in the wind. Which is why bird scare devices are so effective when it comes to bird control on boats. They annoy and frighten many types of birds by creating an “Optical Distraction Zone.”

Take iridescent reflective foil or flash tape, for example.  It's not only inexpensive to buy but easy to attach to just about any part of your boat. String it up on masts and near radar units and birds will be too nervous to land. Another effective visual scare device, the inflatable balloon is ideal for use on masts, radar antennas and overhangs. Balloons intimidate pest birds with their lifelike reflective predator eyes and markings. Teardrop shaped scare-eye diverters are just as effective. They're easy to hang in problem areas. Some bird scare devices have iridescent foil eyes to frighten birds by day and glow-in-the-dark backsides to keep them away at night.

When installing bird scare devices, keep in mind that most birds prefer to land on the high points of a vessel, so be sure to mount these deterrents as high as possible.

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