When confronting bird problems, there are generally two approaches—deterrence and removal. Removal is easily explained—it’s the process of physically capturing birds and relocating them away from a building. Deterrence is another story. It involves redirecting birds so they vacate on their own. One can use spikes or netting to deny birds access. Alternately, one can install decoys and other devices to scare birds away.
Removal is an inside job
Let’s cut straight to the chase. Deterrence is not designed for when birds are inside your facility.
Deterrents are designed to move birds away from a certain area—meaning the birds will most likely move to a different part of your facility.
If birds are in your facility, they have already passed your main line of defense and removal is a far more effective strategy.
Once birds are inside, they need to be captured and removed—plain and simple. Then you need to close off the avenue of ingress.
A philosophical approach
We have intentionally chosen live capture, bird removal and nest removal as our services because we believe they offer the most value for our customers. We recognized a need in the marketplace that wasn’t being addressed well. By focusing on a new approach, this has allowed us to grow as a company and work with so many customers.
Experience has demonstrated that inside deterrence doesn’t work. It’s frustrating, a waste of money, and sometimes dangerous for customers and employees (One customer tried aiming lasers at birds to chase them off, forgetting that lasers are very harmful to humans, too!). Our core value of Help First impels us to only advise courses of action that are effective and helpful.
That’s why we pursue the bird removal approach. Our patented bird removal system and process is also fast and guaranteed. Customers are sometimes surprised at how quickly they can be rid of their bird problem. In a world where time is money, this is something to think about. Plus, Meridian’s system works on most types of birds. This is not necessarily true for deterrent methods.
What about exterior deterrents?
Getting the help of a professional to evaluate your situation and recommending what’s appropriate, is a great first step.
Exclusion netting or bird spikes have proven effective at keeping birds off overhangs and signage, if utilized correctly. We have also seen birds move from one area where bird spikes have been installed to a nearby location. If you’re saving costs by spiking or netting one area—say, the entrance to your store—the birds will quickly realize there’s another attractive area, such as the garden center or lumber yard. Without an appropriate strategy, utilizing deterrents is a losing proposition, both in terms of time, money, and frustration.
Did you know some species can learn to trigger automatic doors? We’ve seen it! When that happens, you need to relocate every bird with that knowledge. Otherwise, they will teach other birds to do the same.
Meridian’s exterior services
That’s where our exterior bird services can help. For example, we can perform a flock reduction or relocation. Starlings and sparrows are very localized birds—once you move them far enough away so they don’t know how to get back, you have effectively removed the knowledge base from the area.
Of course, prevention is the best way to keep birds from your building. We have helped numerous businesses, and we can help yours as well. Contact Meridian and let’s have a conversation. We can determine which of our solutions, if any, are appropriate for your needs.
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Still not convinced bird removal is for you? Check our bird removal comparison chart for more information about different forms of deterrents and how they compare to bird removal.