Get rid of birds

by Alex A. Kecskes

Not long ago, feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square became an offense with violators being fined. In one city, pest birds had learned to associate a school's lunch bell with feeding time and would aggressively pester children for food. The fact is, "get rid of pigeons" has become the battle cry in many cities, towns and parks throughout the world. Especially as city health officials become increasingly aware of the many diseases carried by pigeon droppings.

The truth is, pigeons can create a number of serious problems. Gathering in flocks on buildings, pigeons can constitute a threat to human health and safety. The mess and droppings left by pigeons can negatively impact the appearance of a business. Often, the sheer weight of bird droppings can lead to structural collapse, particularly ceilings. It can also have a negative impact on a business's workforce. This includes the slip-and-trip hazards bird droppings leave on walkways, steps and entrances. It's no wonder more property owners seek ways to get rid of pigeons.

Clean-up costs can be prohibitively expensive. Removing nesting materials and accumulated droppings can be difficult, sometimes requiring specialists in "moon suits" to protect them from disease-carrying droppings that are aerated during removal by sand blasters. 

Through bird egg removal, birth-control pills and food deprivation, problem pigeons can be driven out of most areas in three to five years. While these methods may be humane, they are too time-consuming to appeal to most property owners and municipalities.  Fortunately, there are far more efficient and expedient ways to get rid of pigeons.
Bird Spikes…they Only Look Painful

Time and again, Bird Spikes have helped get rid of pigeons in buildings and structures around the world. The spikes work because pigeons can't negotiate a landing around them. It's just simple physics. The spiked strips come in rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate, or longer-lasting, slightly more expensive stainless steel. And lo and behold, bird spikes now come in a variety of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. The spikes are easily glued or screwed to any surface. You can also get a Girder Spike for keeping pigeons off girders or I-beams (they come with adjustable “C-clamps” to fit any size girder). There's also a Gutter Spike, which prevents pigeons from cluttering up rain gutters. The best bird spikes are blunted, GSA approved, and safe for birds and maintenance crews.

Bird Slopes Blend in to the Architecture

Bird Slopes are angled, slippery PVC panels that pigeons can't seem to get a solid footing on. Ideal for all those 90-degree nooks and crannies, the panels come in a variety of colors to blend in with a building's aesthetics. Better panels are made of U.V.-stabilized polycarbonate panels, since these can last longer in tough outdoor weather.

Bird Wire Systems Keep Pigeons off Balance

Pigeons hate to land on these unstable wires. They'll boogie and dance to no avail as they slip on and off trying to land. After a few seconds, they just leave. Pigeons, like most birds, prefer a solid footing. Bird wire systems with their post-and-spring-wire set-ups get rid of pigeons by denying them stability. Ideal for railings, rooftops and similar extensions where pigeons prefer to land, the systems are easily installed and frequently employed by Federal and State government buildings. The best bird wire systems feature nylon coated stainless steel wire for lasting durability.

Pigeon Netting Excludes Pigeons

Easily cut and shaped to fit in most any tight area, Bird Netting keeps pigeons out of the corners and recesses where they often roost and nest. High quality netting is made from ISO 1806 mesh test polyethylene fabric. The best netting is U.V.-stabilized, flame-resistant and rot- and water-proof. Bird netting comes in several different colors--like white, stone and black, making it an aesthetic way to get rid of pigeons.

Pigeon Scare Devices…Hang 'em High

Pigeons get nervous around things they view as a threat. And when they get nervous, they leave. This is where bird scare devices come in. They're economical, effective and humane. They're also easy to install. They include Flash Tape, which crackles in the wind, Banners that flap in the breeze, and Balloons covered with huge predator eyes that bob and weave in the air. They work best if you swap them out occasionally. After all, pigeons are among the smartest birds in the world.

Sonic Repellers Give Pigeons an Earful

Would you pitch a tent near the sound of a rattlesnake?  Or within the sound of howling wolves?  Well, pigeons aren't dummies either, which is why they won't nest or roost near the sound of peregrine falcons (a pigeon's dreaded enemy) defending their territory. The point is, threatening sounds can deter pigeons and keep them from coming back. Pest pigeons become very nervous and frightened when they hear the sounds broadcast by Sonic Repellers. Especially, if the sounds are repeated regularly.  Keep in mind these sounds are not annoying to humans, which makes them an ideal way to get rid of pigeons.

Bird Gels Give Pigeons that Fly on Flypaper Feeling

No bird likes walking on a sticky surface. It makes them feel trapped and really uncomfortable. Bird Gels are easy to apply using a standard caulking gun. The chemical skins over, but takes up to six months to dry, staying tacky all the while.

Hawk Decoys Look Real Enough to Pigeons

Use these bad boys in tandem with some of the other deterrents previously mentioned and you're sure to get rid of pigeons. These realistic looking predators will make pigeons think twice before landing. Easy to mount and display, these hawks are made of heavy duty plastic and are weather- and water-resistant. They can be hung from rafters or overhangs, or positioned strategically on building rooftops and other flat surfaces. For added stability, you can open the bottom tab of the hawk and fill it with sand.

by Alex A. Kecskes

The ancients believed that birds represented the souls of the dead, and that a bird attacking a window or trying to enter a house was thought to be the soul of a dead person coming to lead the deceased's body into the afterlife.

While a few still believe birds to be souls on the wing, most consider them to be either friends or foe, sans the mysticism. As friends they cheer us up with song. As foe, we simply want to get rid of birds, since they so often cost us time and aggravation. Their droppings can destroy rooftop ventilators, solar panels and air conditioners. They can ruin the paint on our homes and cars, cause us to slip and fall on their slick poop. And even make us seriously ill.  In the past, birds were simply killed--shot, trapped or poisoned. But today, fortune favors the kind. And we now have a variety of humane and highly effective ways to get rid of birds.
Bird Ridding Devices That Work

Bird Slopes--What a great idea. Combine bird deterrence with aesthetics and presto, no more birds. These slippery angled panels fit easily into all those 90-degree nooks and crannies birds love to nest in. Birds try to land on these panels but they just slide right off, never to gain a solid footing. The panels are easy to install on almost any surface and will successfully deter a wide variety of pest birds. The best bird slope panels are fabricated of U.V.-protected PVC to make them sun and weather resistant. And some manufacturers even make them in different colors--stone and grey--to match your building's aesthetics. Which makes panels a beautiful way to get rid of birds.

Bird Gels--If pest birds are landing on your conduit, pipes, ledges, and parapet walls, you need Transparent Bird Gel to get rid of birds. Designed to deter pest birds from virtually any horizontal surface, birds land one foot on this sticky stuff and they'll make tracks to get off. These gels work in temperatures from 15F to 200F and usually remain tacky for up to six months outdoors. Applied in a zigzag pattern using a caulking gun, these non-toxic gels are safe for humans and animals. Gels are ideal for deterring crows, gulls, pigeons, sparrows, starlings and many other species of birds.

Bird Spikes--These devices took off like iPhones for teens. Rows of spindly spikes that keep birds from landing wherever you don't want them to land, nest and roost. What's not to like? Now they're as ubiquitous as pigeons in Rome--on rooflines, parapet walls, I-beams, window ledges, signs traffic lights, the list goes on and on. The blunted spikes are a harmless way to get rid of birds. They come in long-lasting stainless steel or rigid unbreakable polycarbonate. Installation is a snap on any flat surface or ledge. Some spikes come in two-foot long strips for easier installation. One company even offers plastic bird spikes in a spectrum of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and even crystal clear.

Mega Spikes--To deter really large birds like gulls, cormorants, vultures and raptors, there's the Mega Spike. Its 7-inch tentacles, fabricated of marine-grade stainless steel, will convince any bird to move on. The best spikes are crush-proof with a non-reflective metal finish. Another nifty feature is a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base that allows spikes to be bent around curved surfaces.

Gutter Spikes--Perfect for keeping seagulls, crows, and pigeons from nesting and clogging up rain gutters, the best Gutter Spikes feature adjustable clamps at the base that make it easy to install the spikes to the lip of a gutter.

Bird Spider--If your boat covers, awnings, or patio covers are being rained on by bird droppings, it's time you looked into a Bird Spider. Ideal for deterring pigeons, crows, gulls, cormorants or raptors, these devices will get rid of the birds that make your life so miserable. The spider's spindly arms wave constantly in the breeze to make birds feel uncomfortable. Bird spiders come in several arm lengths to scare away a wide range of pest birds.

Air Treatment Systems--Ideal for open spaces that have been invaded by pest birds, air treatment systems release a non-toxic mist, fog or scent that irritates a bird's trigeminal nerve and mucous membranes. This is one effective way to get rid of birds in airports, golf courses or parks. One commercially available system features a control unit to which you can attach up to 64 misting “drop” units. Each drop unit can cover an area of about 7,000 square feet. Better still, each unit can be set to go off simultaneously or at alternating times for more flexibility. For enclosed or semi enclosed areas (like a "big box" retail store), you may only need an "always-on” air treatment system that maintains a constant low level of “pleasant to human” scents--but is really annoying to birds.

Bird Netting--Another way to get rid of birds is to simply exclude them. And that's what Bird Netting does so well. Perfect for deterring a wide variety of pest birds from groves, vineyards, enclosed courtyards, patios and similar open or semi-open areas. Bird netting comes in various mesh sizes to exclude pigeons, sparrows, starlings and seagulls. For lasting durability, choose bird netting that has been U.V. stabilized, and is rot and waterproof. Non-conductive netting should be used where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference might cause a problem. Netting is even available in different colors--including white, stone or black to blend in with its surroundings. The best bird proof netting meets ISO 1806 protocols.