First-time Technician Helps Remove Protected Bird Species

PARTNER

Nationwide home improvement big box retailer

• This is the first time Meridian serviced the Christiansburg, Virginia, location of this popular home and garden chain. Veteran Technicians J.J. and Mark P. arrived to coach new Technician Tyra.

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OBJECTIVE

Find and remove an unknown number of birds and nests.

• The store employees had spotted birds flying around several areas, as well as a nest built right over the customer service desk.

• The Technicians immediately identified three mourning doves, which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The store employees would not have been able to handle them.

• Meridian also located numerous nests outside the building.

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SOLUTION

Meridian used teamwork to capture the mourning doves
and the exterior birds, then remove the nests.

• The doves initially evaded capture, so the three Technicians worked together to coax them into the Bird-N-Free netting.

• Regulations required the native doves be released on the property. Meridian took them to the far end of the parking lot and let them go.

• Further inspection revealed eight additional house sparrows and a starling. Meridian removed these birds and their nests.

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RESULTS

Store was bird-free after a six-hour visit.

• Meridian required a little over six hours to find and remove 14 birds and 14 nests. The store managers were thrilled.

• This was the first time at this store down the road from Meridian’s headquarters. It was also Tyra’s first capture—she learned firsthand about teamwork and how regulations require a licensed company like Meridian to remove protected species.