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Controlling Bird Pests
Although many people enjoy the presence of
birds on their properties, birds such as
doves, crows, gulls, pigeons, sparrows, starlings
and swallows can be real nuisances. These
birds can leave unpleasant and unhealthy
droppings, devour produce from vegetable
gardens, or make undesirable rackets. There
are a variety of methods to discourage these
bird pests without harming them. Most pest
controls encourage these birds to move on
to other areas.
If you are thinking of trying
a bird control
device, consider the following:
- Sound based deterrents will produce a noise
that the birds either find unpleasant or
that frightens them. Intermittent blasts
of a loud noise can be effective in driving
off packs of birds, but this may not be acceptable
in many neighborhoods. A better choice is
an ultrasonic device that cannot be heard
by the human ear.
- Visual deterrents also work by scaring the
birds away. This can be as simple as an old
fashioned scarecrow. Statues of bird predators
such as owls, cats or foxes can also work,
although the birds often learn to ignore
these after a short time. Shiny materials
that flash in the wind can be hung from trees
and shrubs. These include special ornamental
masks with bright red eyes.
- There are a number of different roost inhibitors.
Black plastic netting can be
used to cover
crops. Stainless steel or plastic
bird spikes
can be placed on flat surfaces
to prevent
the birds from landing. Chemical
roost inhibitors
include sticky compounds which
can be applied
to a building’s ledges and
sills; these will
give the birds an unpleasant
“hot foot.”
- There are also taste aversion products that
can be used to keep birds from eating plants.
These will often need to be reapplied after
any rainfall. They should not be used on
eatable plants without carefully reading
the directions.
Choosing the deterrent that will work best
may require you to observe the birds’ habits
before deciding on one of the above methods.
It may also be
necessary to change the type of pest control
you are using, as some birds can adapt their
behavior to circumvent any one kind of deterrent.
Persistence pays off. Also, remember that
in many communities it is illegal to either
poison or shoot at birds with any kind of
fire arm. |
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