June means juvenile season. Watch out!
June is the first full month of summer. That means kids are out of schools and teenagers are descending upon the swimming holes, malls, and roads. At Meridian, we also see a lot of juvenile behavior, only in our case it’s young birds flapping about warehouses, stores, and other buildings.
Juvenile birds are adolescents, and just like their human counterparts, they are still growing into their bodies. They are also flexing their independence, even as their experience and judgment develop. That makes them both more troublesome and easier to catch–if you know what to look for.
Stretching the apron strings—but not too much
Just like human teens, juvenile birds display much more erratic and risky behavior. They are curious, love to explore, and haven’t developed a fear of humans. Juveniles are still developing, so they’re not as strong as adult birds. We’ve often found them stranded on the floor or trapped in small spaces they can’t escape. All these traits make juvenile birds more of a hazard than adult birds when inside your building. At least they’re not always on their phone. 
Common juvenile birds like to spread their wings while staying close to home. For example, sparrows often explore larger areas when they’re young, but establish their nests close to mum’s the following year. That means if you don’t control adult birds in your building, you will soon find yourself hosting their children as well. As with adult birds, prevention is key. Remove nests before birds hatch, if you can.
Observe and report. Then call Meridian.
If you see young birds during juvenile season, take note of where the bird is–not just the section of your building, but its vertical location. Is it near the ceiling, on the floor, or flying somewhere between? This helps us determine if the bird is an adult or a juvenile. We can then adjust our capture appropriately.
Most importantly, make sure you have an assigned “bird sheriff.” This is a team member who receives all bird reports from employees and coordinates with Meridian. Many of our customers find having a designated “bird sheriff” makes reporting faster and easier–there’s no time lost looking for the right person.
Want to learn more? Download this helpful flyer here.