Adventures in Puerto Rico and Hawaii highlight big differences and common values
Since our humble beginnings in Christiansburg, Virginia (a small Appalachian city near Virginia Tech), Meridian Bird Removal has expanded to cover all fifty United States, and its territories.
While the climate and environment of our clientele varies by state, the birds we remove (mostly sparrows, starlings, and pigeons, with other species and the odd raptor thrown in for excitement) have remained the same. That is, until a few years ago, when we started working in Puerto Rico, our first foray off the mainland United States.
¡Aceptando nuevas aventuras diariamente!
Meridian’s motto is “Embracing New Adventures Daily,” so when a client asked if we would help out one of their Puerto Rico locations, we jumped at the chance. As soon as we arrived, we knew the work was going to be different.
First, there was the language barrier – although Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., many residents speak Spanish as their first language.
The second difference was acclimating to the relaxed culture. Tropical weather and a laid-back island attitude make places like Puerto Rico ideal vacation spots. They also mean people are more relaxed about closing doors and windows. Birds take advantage of that.
Our third surprise was the types of birds we needed to catch. Rather than sparrows, we found ourselves chasing Puerto Rican parrots, bananaquits, and the Puerto Rican tody. That last species is native to the island, slightly smaller than an English sparrow. The bananaquit is a tanager-like bird with bright yellow plumage (hence its name).
Puerto Rican Amazon (Parrot)
Our traveling bird removal technicians (BRTs), none of whom had been to Puerto Rico before, were thrilled at the chance for adventure and learning about new birds. After two years of steady bird removing, we advertised for Puerto Rico-based BRTs.
“We looked for the same things in Puerto Rico as we do on the continent,” says Jeff Kuhland, Meridian’s Vice President. “We look for people who hold our core values, love the outdoors, and are up for an adventure. Our Puerto Rico team members embody those qualities to a T.”
Aloha, Meridian
Now Meridian is making inroads to another island paradise: Hawaii. We’ve been traveling out there to remove birds regularly, and as with Puerto Rico, the nuisance birds of Hawaii are different from what you see on the mainland.
One problem bird is the mynah, an import from Asia that’s threatening to crowd out native bird species. We have adapted our bird catching techniques to the birds of Hawaii, and as with Puerto Rico, we’re already meeting people who share our core values with the hope of expanding our BRT team to Hawaii.
Same attitude, no matter the latitude
Kuhland says it’s these core values that make for strong company culture: “People at Meridian say whenever they meet a new employee, they feel like they already know them.” As part of the leadership team, he’s confident we’ll meet the challenge and satisfy our customers in Hawaii, just as we did in Puerto Rico.
“Language and history don’t matter,” he points out. “No matter where we go, there are people with Meridian’s core values, and they’re kindred spirits. They fit right in because they’re one of us.”
Meridian is willing to go the extra mile (or several hundred) to help solve your unique bird problems. Browse our services to see which solution is right for you.