Juvenile June is Here
At Meridian, we like to call June ‘Juvenile June,’ and not just for the alliteration or because school’s out for the summer. During June, we see a rise in birds flying inside—many of them juveniles who have just left the nest. Which makes June the time for juvenile birds, nesting season is ending and the baby birds are starting to leave the nest.
Juvenile birds tend to be less experienced fliers making them awkward and prone to mistakes. If they were hatched in or near your building, then your building may bring them security… and headaches for you. Their lack of experience means that when they get inside your building, they’re less likely to find their way out on their own.
What Makes Juvenile Birds Different?
Unlike mature birds, juveniles lack strong territory instincts which means they wander widely in search of food and shelter. Loading docks, entryways, signage, and even indoor areas are common targets for wandering juveniles. They are also more likely to choose shelving over rafters as they take shorter, less confident flights. They’re clumsy and unpredictable which can lead to them being trapped inside walls or behind shelves.
Some species also have overlapping cycles meaning that while you’re dealing with the challenges of one batch of juveniles, another round of nesting could already be underway. The most common species we see this with are pigeons and sparrows. The overlapping cycle can make June an especially difficult month for facility maintenance and planning.
What to Do to Keep Juvenile Birds Out
As always, the best solution is prevention. Removing nests before eggs are laid is the best way to prevent these juveniles from infiltrating your facility.
With the best solution being prevention, here are a few key tips to keep juveniles away:
- Move food displays away from the doors.
- Keep exterior areas near and around entrances clean. Crumbs and spilled food left by customers are like magnets for insecure, hungry birds.
- Remove nests before juveniles hatch. Make sure to check with Meridian or local wildlife agencies first—depending on the species, touching nests may be against the law.
However, if a juvenile bird has already made its way into the facility then Meridian can help. We answer many calls in June, so the sooner you contact us for service, the sooner we’ll be at your location. You may try to flush them from your store on your own but keep in mind that juvenile birds are easier to startle into hiding. Even our technicians sometimes need to make multiple visits when removing juvenile birds.
As the bird removal experts, Meridian is here to help get your facility bird free so that you can get back to business. If you need bird removal, contact us today for a free consultation.