How do you remove birds? Let us count the ways. There are many bird removal methods, but not all bird removal techniques are created equal.
Some are methods faster than others, some are more costly, and some are messier and more lethal. This month, we summarize the most common methods of ridding your facility of birds – their advantages and liabilities.
Common Bird Removal Methods
Shooting
Shooting, also called aggressive harvesting, is one the most common bird removal techniques. Especially in regions with a culture of hunting and outdoor sporting, this may seem like a logical course of action. Sometimes this can be very effective (based on the skill of the shooter). However, there are many reasons why shooting birds may not be the best method for your facility:
- Responsible shooting requires the facility take the same safety precautions any hunter or recreational shooter would take. Inside a building, that mandates the use of an air rifle instead of a firearm. However, these air rifles can shoot pellets upward of 1300 feet per second, the same velocity as a 9mm round from a handgun! That means:
- Interruption of operations. There can’t be anyone in the potential line of fire, so you must close the facility down. Shooting the bird means stopping work completely.
- Possible damage to inventory. In a warehouse or store, some damage from a stray pellet is bound to happen, whether it’s to inventory or building structures such as ductwork or wiring.
- Birds are fast and have small kill zones. That’s why bird hunters favor a properly choked shotgun, not a pellet rifle. With a rifle, you must shoot the bird when it’s stationary and in the open. That means waiting, sometimes for days.
- Must verify that the species is not protected – lethal removal of protected species is illegal.
- Food safety hazard
- Public relations risk
Traps, Glue Boards, and Poisons
Most pest control companies say they remove birds, but they use the same methods they use on rodents and other land-based vermin. In fact, they regard bird abatement as just another part of pest control. However, logic and observation will tell you bird removal is a completely different animal! (Yes, pun intended.)
As with rodents, pest control companies may set traps, glue boards, or use poisons to remove birds. These are the least expensive methods. Even when they work, these traps carry inherent risks:
- They could create health hazards. Most pest control companies work on a route system. If a bird remains in a trap or on a glue board too long, you have a dead, decaying bird infecting your inventory. With poisons, the problem is compounded with food safety risks and the possibility of poison spreading to other wildlife.
- They endanger protected birds. Most pest control companies do not know there are only three species of birds that can legally be killed. If your contractor kills or harms a protected bird, your company could be subject to fines or other legal action. This is a problem with all techniques unless the bird remover knows federal and local regulations.
Pest control companies use traps, poison, and glue boards because it’s what they know. But they are not the best way to remove birds. At Meridian, we often clean up behind exterminators who don’t know birds, and it’s not a pretty sight. Using a local bird removal company like Meridian Bird Removal is a much safer course of action.
Falcons
If you want excitement in your bird removal, calling in a trained raptor is the way to go. Falconry is sleek, sexy, effective and very expensive. (What do you expect from the sport of sultans?) These services are very specialized, not universally available. They’re also not guaranteed, as you depend on the hunting prowess of the falcon. Falconry as a bird removal method brings food safety and public relations risks. Also remember that falcons are much larger than most problem birds, who can avoid the feathered hunters by retreating to small spaces.
Fake Eyes (Terror Eyes)
All the aforementioned techniques are lethal. What about deterrent techniques?
Fake Eyes (or Terror Eyes) are inflatable globes with scary-looking eye graphics. They’re meant to mimic the appearance of owls and frighten birds away. And they do – for a period. Birds are persistent (especially where there’s food and shelter) and eventually get used to them.
Meridian Live Bird Capture
What about Meridian’s patented Live Capture?
First, it’s safe. No poisons, no bullets, only a capture system that’s out of the way and targeted to birds. That also eliminates potential health hazards.
Second, it’s a daytime operation. Birds are most active during the day, so that’s when we work. That means you won’t have to close your facility and have a manager come in off-hours to supervise.
It’s customer and PR-friendly. Our Live Capture system doesn’t take up floor space or impede your operations. Customers often enjoy watching us work (if they notice us at all). And because it’s completely non-lethal, it’s public relations friendly. In fact, all our Bird Removal Technicians are trained to answer questions the public may have.
Approved for protected birds. Our Bird Removal Technicians are the bird experts. We not only know which birds are protected, we’ve developed a system which removes all birds safely, without harming them.
Guaranteed. We won’t stop until your bird problem is resolved.
Bird removal can be a complex process – one that we’ve studied and devised an easy solution for. We’ve created an easy-to-read comparison chart of all these techniques. If you have any questions about birds or bird removal methods, please contact us. We love sharing our knowledge.