People don’t often think of birds when they think of "pests." Perhaps they think of cockroaches, termites, and rodents. But make no mistake, birds can be even bigger headaches than those other common pests, and they can be a whole lot tougher to get rid of, too. Learning what you can do to stay on top of bird prevention may save you from learning this the hard way.
Common Pest Birds
Birds depend on their environment, and some have adapted quite well to urban life in the United States. Here are some of the most common pest birds in the area:
- Pigeons: The most common pest birds in the world, pigeons are a part of everyday life in modern America. These gray birds have darker-colored heads and their oily plumage can appear green or purple in direct sunlight.
- Starlings: These small, dark-colored birds have white speckles all over. They often nest inside vents or ducts.
- Sparrows: The smallest birds on this list, it’s tempting to view these brown, black, and white-feathered birds as cute. But their nests can become a big problem on roof structures and near drainage or electrical outlets.
What Harm Can Birds Cause?
While people often pay birds no mind, and some people even feed them, urban birds can cause property damage and aid in the spread of dangerous diseases. Here are just a few of the problems that pest birds can cause:
- Damage: Birds nest in places that are convenient for them but inconvenient for American property owners. They can disrupt electrical and radio equipment, clog up important vents, and their corrosive feces can cause long-term property damage.
- Disease: You may have heard pigeons referred to as “rats with wings.” Well, the comparison is justified since, just like rodents, pest birds can carry dangerous diseases. They can also be infested with fleas or ticks that also spread diseases.
- Overpopulation: Because people feed them and don’t generally take measures to control bird populations, they can grow out of hand. The larger the flock of birds, the more the above problems will be multiplied.
Pest Bird Prevention For Your Property
While the headaches they bring are troublesome, there are some steps you can take around your property to protect it from pest birds:
- Anti-roosting guards: More and more, property owners are relying on this type of equipment to protect against birds. Spikes along ledges, grates blocking gutters and vents, anything that discourages birds from landing or building nests fall under this category.
- Vegetation: It’s no secret that birds land on branches and nest in tree canopies. Therefore, to make your property less attractive to birds, you should keep trees and bushes well-trimmed.
- Inspections: Pest birds can hide their nests in hard-to-reach places, especially small ones. Only frequent and thorough inspections of your property, by a trained pair of eyes, can make sure everything’s been covered.
For Ultimate Bird Control, Call American
A bird’s domain is often high up in the sky or otherwise out of reach. Rather than risk falls or scrapes addressing bird nests on your own, the smart move is to enlist the help of pest experts who can eliminate the problem safely. At American Pest Solutions, our trained Hartford, CT pest control experts can provide you with thorough inspections of your property to determine your level of risk to pest birds. If danger signs, or nests, are spotted, you can count on us to work with your schedule and budget to address the problem and make sure it doesn’t come back. For total protection from pest birds, turn to American Pest Solutions.