June is a month where we see a lot of juveniles. No, we’re not referring to teenagers fleeing school on summer break. The start of summer is where our Bird Removal Technicians encounter juvenile birds.
We’ve written about “fledglings” before, but juvenile is a more accurate term. We think it better describes their behavior and capabilities. That’s because juveniles are the teenagers of the bird world—they’re awkward, still growing into their limbs, and making bad decisions. This is also the time the parents kick them out of the nest, so now they’re fending for themselves.
Many common juvenile birds are like “boomerang kids”—they stay close to home. Depending on caring capacity, juvenile sparrows may only venture 200 feet from home, building their nests literally next door. What that means for you is if you don’t control adult birds in your building, you will soon be contending with the next generation as well.
But unlike their parents, juveniles exhibit much more erratic and risky behavior. Since they don’t have the experience of their elders, they explore much more. They also haven’t fully developed a fear of humans.
This makes for frightening customer experiences. It also makes our work more challenging. Juveniles tend to be poor flyers, so many times they end up on the floor or on lower shelves which is more dangerous for customers. They also get stuck more easily, which sometimes results in damaged merchandise or compromised food.
Juveniles also have lower stamina than adults. Believe it or not, that can make them more difficult to remove.
As with adult birds, prevention is best. If you remove nests before birds hatch, you won’t have juveniles in your building. If you find yourself with a squatter during juvenile season, it’s key to note where the bird is—not just the section of your building, but its vertical location. Is it near the ceiling, on the floor or flying somewhere between? This helps us narrow down whether we’re dealing with an adult or a juvenile, and that information helps us get the bird more quickly.
Also, do you have a bird removal point person—one person accountable for tracking problem birds and communicating with Meridian? If not, you should! We’ve found that customers with a “bird manager” get us better information quicker—including when a problem bird leaves the building. At that point, he or she can cancel the call and save the company money and time.
At Meridian Bird Removal, we believe in being prepared and having a plan to deal with birds in your facility. If you need bird removal, contact us today for a free consultation.
Learn how Meridian removed 25+ sparrows from a mall in Northern Virginia.
Learn about the seasonality and month-to-month bird activity in this article: A Bird’s Eye View of the Year