Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of fall. That means cooler temperatures and the parade of holiday merchandising—Back-to-School, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This is a busy time for retail stores, which means your attention to bird prevention sometimes takes a back seat to serving more customers and rotating merchandise.
But birds can still cause damage and threaten holiday shopping. Cold weather and scarcer food drive birds to look for shelter and meals inside buildings like yours. As you head into the holidays, here are three basic tips to keep the birds away from your merchandise and your customers.
Manage your annual budget. Purchase next year’s services this year with our Bird Bucks program. Learn more here.
Doors doors doors!
Doors—entry doors, receiving doors, even service doors—are the number one way birds enter buildings. And with increased holiday traffic comes more time for birds to fly through those open doors. Our advice here is simple: make sure doors close properly. Repair malfunctioning automatic doors and train employees to close other doors when not in use. This includes roll-up doors, dock doors, and all receiving doors. Do not consider a tractor-trailer backed up to a receiving door the equivalent of a closed door. Birds can fly through gaps of all sizes. We’ve even seen them fly under dock plates and into buildings. And whatever you do, don’t lock automatic doors open!
Did you know Meridian can reduce the bird population outside of your building by 75% or more? Learn more.
Cleanliness is next to birdlessness
The holidays are exciting and joyful times for retailers. More children and families visit, hungry for cookies, candy, and other treats. While you don’t want to be a Grinch with the snacks, you do want to clean up crumbs and other food waste when you can—especially around entry points. A bird feeding on dropped fruitcake outside your entryway is a bird that’s only a foot away from flying inside. Empty trash receptacles often, as they often collect food wrappers and discarded cups with hot chocolate and sweet coffee drinks. Birds love sweets—almost as much as humans do.
Think about the location of holiday merchandise
Birds are visual feeders. If they see food, they will go for it. Try to avoid putting birdseed, dried corn, pumpkins, gourds, or pine cones by the entrance. Avian eyesight is legendary—even plastic wrap won’t deter birds from going after your merchandise if they see it.
The same principle applies to non-food bird attractants. Straw bales, wheat shocks, and Christmas trees could be viewed as bird habitat. Place them along the exterior edges, away from doors leading into the building. And give them a good shake now and then.
If you’ve spotted a bird and need to schedule service, e-mail us at nobirds@meridianbirdremoval.com.
Bonus tip: Plan for holiday closings
Will your building be closed on December 25, Thanksgiving Day, or other days? Have a plan in place in case a bird gets inside the day before. You may not be able to close the building down if birds are flying about inside, as they will trip sensors and alarms. Have Meridian’s number ((855) 362-2200) close at hand—we can and have provided emergency service removing birds before closures. That way everyone can enjoy a very happy holiday!
Want to learn more? Download our helpful holiday checklist for bird prevention.