Controlling birds around your store and preventing their entry can be a complex task. When does bird control matter? It becomes critical when birds impact health and safety, cause lost revenue, or create negative experiences for employees and customers.
Misconceptions about bird control can hinder effective management and lead to ongoing issues. Addressing three common misconceptions can help you manage bird problems more effectively.
- Seasonal Bird Issues
A widespread misconception is that bird problems are purely seasonal, tied to nesting or migration patterns. While it’s true that birds exhibit seasonal behaviors, their presence around your store is more closely related to sales traffic than to migration.
During peak shopping seasons, such as the holidays, the frequency of store visits and door openings increases significantly. This heightened activity creates more opportunities for birds to enter. For example, during the 35-day period of increased customer activity around the holidays, bird problems often spike as birds take advantage of open doors and increased foot traffic.
Understanding this connection helps in planning more effective bird control strategies.
Read: A Bird’s Eye View of the Year
- A Bird Inside Can Be a Big Deal
Another common misconception is underestimating the impact of a bird getting inside your store. Many might think it’s a minor issue, but birds inside can be a significant concern if they impact customers, associates, health, or safety.
However, if your business doesn’t face these issues, the presence of birds might not be an immediate concern. That said, like cockroaches or mice, birds can carry diseases, posing health risks to customers and employees.
Therefore, it’s crucial to handle the situation humanely and in compliance with health and safety codes. Effective bird removal involves live capture and relocation techniques, followed by exclusion measures to prevent future entries.
Addressing the problem with the appropriate methods ensures both regulatory compliance and the protection of your store’s environment. And hiring a kid with a BB gun isn’t going to pass the test for regulatory authorities or customers!
Read: Interior Bird Removal
- Avoiding Common Mistakes
One mistake businesses often make is treating bird problems like general pest issues. Bird control requires specialized strategies tailored to the unique challenges posed by these pests.
Relying on quick fixes like fake owls or traps is often ineffective and can lead to persistent issues. A comprehensive bird control strategy should go beyond traditional pest control methods.
Whereas you can use poison or traps to eliminate insects or rodents, bird removal involves proactive planning, such as observing bird activity before peak seasons and engaging experts to develop a tailored approach.
Read: Bird Removal Methods
Failing to address the physical presence of the birds and not having a proactive plan can result in ongoing problems that could have been prevented. Additionally, don’t forget to have a proven communication plan for community engagement, especially if birds are affecting nearby businesses or public spaces.
As an organization experienced in safely and humanely removing birds from commercial spaces, we encourage businesses to understand and address these common misconceptions about bird control. By doing so, you can implement more effective bird management strategies, creating a safer and more pleasant shopping environment for your customers, and ultimately improving how bird issues are managed at your store.